Some San Franciscans rioted after the Giants won the Major League Baseball championship. The local chief prosecutor wants to avoid a similar outcome.
“What occurred during the World Series cannot be tolerated again,” District Attorney George Gascón said, via KCBS.
In late October 2012, 36 were arrested, and 14 of them were charged. Some face 25 years to life because of the three-strike felony rule in California.
“The consequences for going out there, hurting someone, damaging property, are very severe and there is no need for that to occur,” Gascón said.
And in this post-Orwellian era in which Big Brother is not only the government but also the governed, evidence generated by members of the public will be used against any offenders.
“Certainly we will be looking for that information through the Internet, so whatever you do out there, understand that there are many witnesses and the information today is captured electronically,” Gascón said.
Rioting is possible in San Francisco and Baltimore, regardless of who wins or loses. We recommend practices that will cause folks to be more relaxed. And we trust that folks in California will come up with something.
Given that Michael Phelps hails from Baltimore, they’ll be able to find a way to mellow their emotions, too.