LAWRENCE, Kan. --When the bars close in Lawrence, an unsettling trend is taking place. Fights break out almost every night after closing time.
The fights have been on the rise, and they are out of hand. Fights after a game day, when tailgates were long and blood alcohol levels were high, are especially wild.
One manager at The Jayhawk Cafe has even been pepper sprayed by a policeman. Emily Sherwood, a local bartender has seen her share of fights. "It is ridiculous how much fighting goes on after hours," she says.
Several other bar employees have seen the riots as well. Katie Ault, also a local bartender is fed up with all the activity. "I am really sick of all of the fighting and something needs to be done. Whether it is more police action or what I'm not sure, but it should be done soon."
The details of these fights are hazy, but the real issue here is that the Lawrence police force and bar owners need to have better crowd control tactics. If a structured plan is put in place, we can avoid these types of riots and more easily remove the individuals who are too rowdy.