As spring semester gets underway, plans are being put together for this year’s installment of the University of Minnesota’s annual Spring Jam event, albeit with more tension and preparation this time around. The now-infamous Spring Jam 2009 proceeded as usual until riots broke out late Saturday, April 25, and continued into the next day. About 500 students took to the streets in Dinkytown on the 1300 and 1400 blocks of 7th Ave. Revelers set several fires, trashed houses and cars, and disrupted traffic throughout the area, resulting in a riot squad of more than 70 police officers descending on the neighborhood, tear gas, rubber bullets and all. Eventually order was restored and no one was seriously injured. Needless to say, Spring Jam is going to be a lot different this year.

Blame for the riots has been scattered in several directions, with some placing responsibility on the police for inappropriate conduct in controlling the parties earlier in the day, while others were quick to point out that a major planned part of Spring Jam festivities, a set by Brooklyn Hip-Hop artist Talib Kweli, was canceled just before he was to perform. Still others point fingers at campus newspaper The Minnesota Daily’s front-page headline, “No Party Patrol for Spring Jam” earlier in the week as encouragement to students. Regardless of who shoulders the blame, the University’s planning committees are painfully aware of the mayhem that can arise when jubilant college students, newly found warm weather and that old demon, alcohol, combine, and are taking added precautions to keep campus safe this time around.

Dan Wolter, the U of M’s news service director, speaking on behalf of Vice Provost for Student Affairs Jerry Rinehart is quick to point out that the Spring Jam events occurring on the University’s campus proper were “peaceful and orderly”, and that the Spring Jam planning committee is attempting to focus more events in the campus area this time around. Spring Jam’s events will take place over a three-day period rather than a week long one as in 2009. The main Saturday night concert will still take place over in Riverbend Commons, behind Coffman Union on April 23, with the kick-off event on Thursday night.

“The idea is to put more focus on the events taking place on the nights that have been a challenge last time around,” says Wolter, “The goal being to attract more students to the events happening on campus.”

As important as it is to provide young minds with entertainment and stimulation, the real legwork in riot-prevention usually comes from keeping those young minds from raising hell, and Wolter has confirmed with the help of UMPD Chief Greg Hestness that police presence will be ramped up for Spring Jam 2010. Plans are underway for “additional patrols, as well as extra details,” according to Wolter, as well as police splitting shifts in order to get more officers on duty in the area. The troubles surrounding Spring Jam 2009 started surprisingly early for Dinkytown, with reports of drunken and unruly behavior as early as 5 p.m., and Wolter claims the UMPD are taking this into account.
“Last year’s altercations were surprisingly early in the evening, [we’re] increasing policing around and on campus earlier in the evening as well,” he says. It’s important to note that last year’s riots also occurred outside of official UMPD jurisdiction, but Chief Hestness and the team has been communicating frequently with the Minneapolis Police to better patrol the surrounding areas.

It remains to be seen whether or not the City of Minneapolis’ newly passed Social Host Ordinance will have any effect on Spring Jam 2010’s festivities as well. With the new law making it a misdemeanor for homeowners/tenants to host parties where underage people are present and drinking, party houses will likely be more careful of whom they let in. It also seems probable that the UMPD will be looking to crack the whip about the new law by the time April rolls around and Spring Jam seems the perfect time to make a bit of an example. Spring Jam will always be a hell-of-a-party, but you can expect more Police and stiffer penalties this time around, so it might be a good idea to give the rager a raincheck come April 24.

Tags: Dinkytown, UMPD