Updated with photos: Police shut down Palmerfest after fire

Gail Burkhardt

City Editor

Palmerfest revelers started a couch fire after 11 p.m. Saturday, causing police to shut down the fest for the second year in a row.

Police used horses, batons and other riot equipment to evacuate Palmer Street, saying things such as everybody goes and get out while you can.

At about 11 p.m., several partygoers attempted several times to light a white cloth on fire in the middle of Palmer Street. One partygoer stamped the fire out. Minutes later, people began booing at the police and throwing bottles and cans at them.

At about 11:07 p.m., a police officer fell off his horse while trying to break up the crowd. The officer was not hurt. At about 11:20 p.m., revelers successfully started a fire making it necessary for the Athens Fire Department to extinguish the blaze. By midnight, the street was mostly cleared.

Police arrested 30 people, 10 of whom were Ohio University students.

The City of Athens spent $32,000 for more police and fire-safety officials at fests this year, according to a previous article in The Post.

The number of police officers on horses increased from five earlier in the day to 15 by the end of the night.

One horse received minor cuts and one police officer was injured at Palmerfest.

I think it's bullshit that (police) are allowed to come back (behind the houses)

said Casey Morgan, a student at Wright State University. Morgan said he was pushed by police with batons into a backyard.

Despite the increase in security, Assistant Service-Safety Director Ron Lucas, who also serves as the city's public information officer, said he was not expecting a fire.

There were a number of years where the party came and the party went he said.

I was disappointed that it had to end the way it did he added later.

Some attendees also expressed disappointment in fellow partygoers' actions.

They light couches on fire; that's kind of pathetic

said Ohio University freshman Tyler Arnold. You would think they would have learned their lesson last year.

Last year, revelers lit three couches on fire beginning at about 10 p.m. They also threw bottles at police officers and horses. Five horses were injured. One partygoer tried to steal the stop sign at the corner of Palmer and Mill Streets, but he was quickly apprehended by undercover police officers, according to a previous Post article.

On April 24 this year, police had to shut down High Fest because partygoers lit plastic lawn furniture and trash cans on fire in the middle of the street at about 10:40 p.m.

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