SFPD: 36 Arrested For 'Trashing San Francisco' After Giants' Series Win
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5 / KCBS) -- The city of San Francisco cleaned up Monday after World Series celebrations turned rowdy and violent in a few neighborhoods, leading to the arrests of dozens of revelers.
Police officials said 36 people were arrested in the hours after the San Francisco Giants clinched the World Series with a Game 4 win in Detroit on Sunday night. Of those 35 arrests, 23 people faced felony charges and two were booked on gun charges.
SFPD Chief Greg Suhr said the revelry started peacefully and upbeat throughout the city, but "after the original, understandable celebration comes the almost mystifying belief that some people can just come trash San Francisco."
Added Sgt. Michael Andraychak: "Unfortunately, as the night progressed, this other element emerged and were intent on doing violence."
Watch Video Below: Police Break Up Rowdy World Series Celebration at 19th & Mission (Warning: Explicit Language)
The police officials said the destructive behavior was "a one-up" on San Francisco's celebration of the Giants' World Series win over the Texas Rangers in 2010 and came as a surprise to authorities.
Bonfires of trash were lit in several intersections around the city, including at 3rd and King streets near AT&T Park; a San Francisco Municipal Railway bus was torched at Market and Kearny streets and rowdy fans also climbed on top of other Muni buses around the city.
While police were still looking for who set the Muni 8X-Bayshore Express bus ablaze, they said eight passengers plus the driver were all able to get out safely.
Along several blocks of Mission Street between 16th and 24th streets, a vehicle was flipped over, windows of several businesses were smashed and vehicles sprayed with graffiti, including a CBS 5 news van.
Firefighters had police escorts as they fought a number of large bonfires fueled by old couches, news racks and other debris on Mission Street from 17th Street south. In fact, authorities said much of the vandalism occurred in the city's Mission District, where 24 of the 35 arrests occurred.
KCBS, CBS 5 and Chronicle Insider Phil Matier:
"We responded to approximately 76 fires last night," Fire Department spokeswoman Mindy Talmadge said. "At this point we're attributing most of them, if not all of them, to celebratory-type activity."
While city officials didn't have a total damage estimate as of Monday afternoon, Muni spokesman Paul Rose said that the torched bus alone had just been revamped and cost $700,000.
After the game ended Sunday night with the Giants defeating the Detroit Tigers 4-3 to sweep the Series for their second title in three years, fans across the city left their televisions and rushed outside, greeting diners, bar patrons and other merrymakers.
In the city's Polk Gulch neighborhood, hundreds of fans sprayed champagne, set of off firecrackers and blocked traffic for at least two hours after the game.
Several blocks away, police clad in riot gear looked on as revelers danced around Civic Center Plaza where they had watched the game on a Jumbotron. A 22-year-old man at plaza was hit in the head with a bottle and was taken to a hospital, authorities said.
He was one of a handful injured in the night's rowdiness, including two police officers.
"There was (also) one person injured at one of the bonfires," Talmadge said. "The crowd kind of pushed the individual into the bonfire."
"That kind of activity," she noted, "puts a damper on things for those who are celebrating."
KCBS' Holly Quan Reports:
Mayela Santamaria, an employee at CJN Dentistry at 2484 Mission St., agreed as she worked to wash the spray paint off of the door of the business on Monday.
"This is not the way to celebrate," Santamaria said. "This is ridiculous."
But Mayor Ed Lee vowed Monday afternoon that the arrests and destruction would not mar the excitement for the hometown team.
"I'm not going to let the spirit of this city be destroyed by 36 people. We're going to move forward with a great parade, a great celebration, a wonderful celebration," Lee said, making reference to the city's Giants victory parade along Market Street that's set for 11 a.m. Wednesday
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. Wire Services contribute to this report. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
