I write shortly after the Mifflin Street block party. About 20,000 revelers enjoyed tradition, as hundreds of thousands have before them. Many say “let them play,” while others would “make them pay.” This annual, open-air beer bash regularly results in student riots, burning and looting, with multiple arrests and individuals incapacitated from alcohol. This year students defied the city and other officials, and some will bear the burden. It was an “orderly” event; “only” 225 arrests were made (more than 1 percent of attendees). Chilly, overcast weather kept crowds, and hence, ambulance calls, down.
Office of Strategic Communication