The last Summerfest concert of the year Wednesday went awry for event organizer Richard King after Columbia police issued seven citations for having open containers of alcohol before they arrested and handcuffed King on suspicion of "obstructing a government operation."

"It was a very bizarre night," said King, who spent an hour in a holding cell at Columbia police headquarters.

King

Police said that people who were issued summonses were outside the boundaries set by the Summerfest permit issued by the city. Interim Police Chief Tom Dresner also said King was too "loud" and "close" to officers while protesting the tickets.

King said he was standing 10 feet away and telling people to cooperate with officers.

At 8:15 p.m., King said, Officer Keisha Edwards arrived at the event on foot patrol. Edwards told an outdoor bartender that "customers need to have individual permits to drink on the street."

The bartender, Josh Bowles, told Edwards the event had a license to serve alcohol outdoors. He noted that the Blue Note had a one-day catering permit to serve beer on Ninth Street between Broadway and Walnut Street. The permit was approved by Columbia City Council, Columbia police and other city and state agencies.

Bowles said that Edwards replied, "They told me to come down here and write some tickets, so I’m going to walk around."

Police cited seven people under the city’s open container ordinance at Broadway and Ninth Street, according to a police arrest logs, between 9:50 and about 11 p.m.

King said he cannot recall Summerfest concert-goers ever before being cited for such offenses.

At about 10:30 p.m., King said, he got word that three people sitting on the curb at the northeast corner of Broadway and Ninth were being cited for having open containers. King said he walked up to the officers, introduced himself and asked what the trouble was.

Edwards told King to go away, and the concert organizer said he walked 10 feet away and stood against a building. He recalled that all he told the people being cited was "please sign the ticket. I think it’s wrong, but please sign the ticket."

King said he was trying to act as a peacemaker, but Brunstrom told him to "shut up." Edwards then walked up to King, pressed him against the Commerce Bank building and handcuffed him.

Neither Edwards nor Ryan Brunstrom, another officer on patrol at Summerfest, responded to requests for comment. Dresner said police reports state that all seven of the people cited were standing outside the designated concert area.

King asked why, if that was the case, police did not let the Summerfest patrons off with a warning.

Dresner said if the drinkers were outside the line of demarcation, police were free to use their discretion whether to issue a ticket or give a warning. As for King’s behavior, Dresner said, police have always had a good relationship with him, but he might have crossed a line on this occasion.

"Richard told me that he was telling people to sign the tickets and that would have been appropriate," Dresner said. "But he also admitted getting loud and close to" officers, "and that wouldn’t have been appropriate."

Dresner said last night he had not received an official complaint from King that would trigger an internal review. King said he probably will file a complaint.

Dresner said a city prosecutor will decide whether to file charges, but he hasn’t seen anything yet indicating the officers acted inappropriately. "They were trying to take enforcement action, and" King "is interjecting himself into the middle of that. And after repeatedly being ordered not to, he apparently persisted."

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