Viejas Arena overwhelmed by Aztecs fans for NCAA Championship watch party
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- Опубліковано 3 кві 2023
- SDSU may have lost their NCAA championship matchup last night, but Aztecs fans showed up in full force at the game in Houston and at their home court.
KPBS reporter Jacob Aere says San Diego’s largest watch party at Viejas Arena was completely overwhelmed with fans, which created some chaos.
Yup. I was there, folks. I was there that day. Me and mom literally almost got smooched and squeezed by the unruly mindless people at the very front of the gates. Luckily, we survived and got right in the Viejas Arena. Unfortunately, my energy was so drained up, I had to ask my mom to leave the arena during halftime. She agrees. So as we both walk out, we'd realized that there were a dozen police officers in Riot Gear (just in case things really got out of hand). But thank goodness, we totally survived that one. Still, it was a painful loss for my SDSU Aztecs. But I'm glad to see half of the game at the arena, and then watching the rest of it at my home. My Aztecs are champions of Heart. Go Aztecs! ⚫🔴❤
Corrected comment - doors should have been left open and crowd allowed to enter before the game. Other wise communicate the situation to the crowd and tell them to leave BEFORE the game starts. All I saw was security inside the arena fence/doors taking on there walkie-talkies and phones. Not one word to the crowd from anyone who identified themselves are being associated with the arena or police. There were people in the crowd who were trying to get the crowd to move back. There was one person on, I think, a PA system that asked the crowd to move back. I thought it was the radio station people. I don't know because they never identified themselves. I kept telling my wife it was a bad situation and Security was making a bad mistake not actively working with the crowd in any way.
Viejas security completely NOT prepared. There were NO police on the west side when the game started, that I cold see. My wife and I were able to get in to see the game, but it was a horrendous experience. I have seen this happen before at concerts when bad decisions are made about the crowd. The arena management made bad decisions. 1) They never should have left the doors open, not closed them. If they deemed the crowd was too big, then they should have announced that the area was full and people should find another place to see the game. If they intended to open the doors again, then they should have sent security staff out into the crowd to talk to people. No one was unruly before the game started. Everyone was in a festive mood. It only got unruly when the game started and people were asking what the hell was going on - again, no response from the arena staff.
Seems like the police prepared but the kids were unruly. That girl interviewed saying she squeezed through something yet the police weren't prepared....cmon..If something is too tight you have to squeeze through and you know you aren't supposed to....that's on her. Does she want the police to be more armed? The school should have set up viewing screens outside in the field. that's really the best solution in hindsight.
The police were unprepared so they blame the public.