I just want to be here for the mob today
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Lollapalooza organizers have said that instances of fence-jumping – music fans trying en masse to get through gaps in security without paying – are particularly high at this year’s festival.
Indeed, at Grant Park this afternoon along Jackson Drive, packs of hundreds of teens could be seen roving the fringes of the festival, gathering themselves into groups of a dozen or two and rushing at openings in the fences and barricades, apparently testing security in the hope that a few among their ranks would make it through.
In most instances guards converged and chased them off. At one point, guards sprayed teens with a fire extinguisher, prompting cries of “It’s tear gas!” “Music should be free!” and “Book it!”
The teens dispersed in all directions. Soon however, their roving resumed, and the scene repeated.
Festival organizers say groups of up to 300 people have been spotted trying to storm the fences. This year’s event is the seventh time it has been held in Grant Park and a spokesman said there has been a steady increase in fence-jumping.
Most of the incidents were happening on the lake side of the park, along the stretch of the park just west of Lake Shore Drive.
“There are several reasons for this,” said Shelby Meade, a spokesperson for C3, the event organizer, in an e-mail message. “1. It is the longest and straightest side of the park and offers an almost unobstructed view of what area the jumper will be landing in. 2. Vehicles illegally stopping for loading and unloading of passengers offers great opportunity to breach the fence. 3. Security staffing along the Lakeshore fence line can easily be observed and thus avoided.”
Indeed, along Lake Shore Drive, packs of teens were seen mustering themselves into groups reaching into the hundreds and periodically stopping to shake the fence on the east side of the roadway for signs of weakness. When they found a gap, they ran across eight lanes of the drive and in most cases, were turned back by red-shirted guards on golf carts.
Smaller groups moved to the north and south, continuing to probe the perimeter.
“It’s not like there’s an exact plan,” said high school sophomore Simon Kafka, 15, of Chicago. “You just show up and figure it out when you get a chance.” Kafka told a reporter he had gate-crashed the previous two nights of the fest with large groups and seen Cee Lo Green and Eminem.
“I just want to be here for the mob today,” Kafka added. “I’m not that concerned about the music.”
Indeed, at Grant Park this afternoon along Jackson Drive, packs of hundreds of teens could be seen roving the fringes of the festival, gathering themselves into groups of a dozen or two and rushing at openings in the fences and barricades, apparently testing security in the hope that a few among their ranks would make it through.
In most instances guards converged and chased them off. At one point, guards sprayed teens with a fire extinguisher, prompting cries of “It’s tear gas!” “Music should be free!” and “Book it!”
The teens dispersed in all directions. Soon however, their roving resumed, and the scene repeated.
Festival organizers say groups of up to 300 people have been spotted trying to storm the fences. This year’s event is the seventh time it has been held in Grant Park and a spokesman said there has been a steady increase in fence-jumping.
Most of the incidents were happening on the lake side of the park, along the stretch of the park just west of Lake Shore Drive.
“There are several reasons for this,” said Shelby Meade, a spokesperson for C3, the event organizer, in an e-mail message. “1. It is the longest and straightest side of the park and offers an almost unobstructed view of what area the jumper will be landing in. 2. Vehicles illegally stopping for loading and unloading of passengers offers great opportunity to breach the fence. 3. Security staffing along the Lakeshore fence line can easily be observed and thus avoided.”
Indeed, along Lake Shore Drive, packs of teens were seen mustering themselves into groups reaching into the hundreds and periodically stopping to shake the fence on the east side of the roadway for signs of weakness. When they found a gap, they ran across eight lanes of the drive and in most cases, were turned back by red-shirted guards on golf carts.
Smaller groups moved to the north and south, continuing to probe the perimeter.
“It’s not like there’s an exact plan,” said high school sophomore Simon Kafka, 15, of Chicago. “You just show up and figure it out when you get a chance.” Kafka told a reporter he had gate-crashed the previous two nights of the fest with large groups and seen Cee Lo Green and Eminem.
“I just want to be here for the mob today,” Kafka added. “I’m not that concerned about the music.”
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"what a long, strange trip it's been"
Neil deGrasse Tyson
Why not (V) (°,,,,°) (V) ?