The crowds might be smaller, but arrests are up so far at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, one of the few major gatherings to avoid cancellation during the coronavirus pandemic.
The event began on Friday, and the Department of Public Safety reported that police made 84 arrests for offenses including driving under the influence and drug-related crimes within a 24-hour period from Saturday to Sunday. In the same time frame last year, 76 people were arrested.
The number of citations given out also went up with 226 people getting ticketed. That’s 37 more tickets than last year. There have also been 18 crashes, none of which have been fatal, which is down from 20 crashes last year.
Among the arrests included a man who was associated with graffiti at the Capitol Hill Organized Protest in Seattle. Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater said the man was likely in his 20s and was probably charged with intent to damage, but noted he had not seen the official report.
VanDewater said the suspect was intoxicated, and police believe he was the main culprit behind graffiti saying “Black Lives Matter” and “F— 12” that caused an estimated $10,000 in damage.
Organizers said they expected the rally on its 80th anniversary, which is being held from Aug. 7-16, to draw 250,000 people, or about half the usual crowd. This year’s event has raised significant concerns because of the pandemic, with public health officials saying it could bring an “unmanageable” uptick in COVID-19 cases.
Despite opposition from over half of the city’s residents, Sturgis City Council voted to proceed with the event because of pressure from businesses.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is one of a handful of governors who has kept her state open throughout the pandemic.
