Seahawks fans flocking to bars and restaurants to watch Sunday’s Super Bowl game could be in for post-game chaos, police said.
In the past, riots have broken out following the Super Bowl and other large sporting events in cities where fans are celebrating or mourning for their home teams.
Unruly crowds have overturned cars, set fires, vandalized businesses and assaulted police officers and bystanders.
What can fans in Seattle expect?
“It’s unpredictable,” said social psychologist Christian End, an assistant professor at Xaiver University in Ohio who specializes in sports fan behavior.
Thousands of sporting events never turn violent after the final score, but some erupt in fights, looting and arson for no clear reason, End said.
Seattle police and the Washington State Patrol are preparing for potential post-Super Bowl mayhem.
“We’re bringing in a lot more people,” Seattle police spokesman Rich Pruitt said, adding that police expect a surge of football fans in areas such as Pioneer Square.
About 20 State Patrol troopers attached to civil disturbance action teams also will be on duty Sunday, State Patrol trooper Greg Pressel said.
The Seattle- and Marysville-based troopers will patrol the roads, but will be ready with riot gear if Seattle or other departments need help controlling crowds, he said.
“If all hell breaks loose, we’ll bring in the teams from all the districts,” Pressel said.
The Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office and the Everett Police Department aren’t planning to add any extra officers for crowd control here. Instead, extra officers will be on the watch for drunken drivers.
It’s hard to predict how things will shake out Sunday. After all, Seahawks fans haven’t known the euphoria of a Super Bowl win or the kick-to-the-stomach loss.
The closest Seattle fans may have come recently is the Mariners’ win against the New York Yankees in the 1995 American League division series, police said.
“Everybody was really excited and people were dancing in the streets, but they didn’t turn cars over,” said King County sheriff’s Capt. Ted Stensland, who supervises his department’s demonstration management team.
The potential, however, is there, Stensland said, noting the violence in Seattle during the World Trade Organization protests in 1999 and Mardi Gras in 2001.
During those events, small groups of people used the moment as an excuse for criminal behavior, Stensland said.
“We haven’t seen that with Seattle sports fans,” he said.
Large crowds can bring out the worst in people, End said.
Individuals may lose their sense of accountability in a crowd. Also, as a way to feel connected to the group, some people act out, especially if the behavior is reinforced by others in the crowd.
“If someone jumps on a car and the crowd roars approval, they feel a part of the group,” End said.
Alcohol can fuel aggression, as can being stuck in an overcrowded place, he said.
“There also could be a segment of the population looking to stir up trouble,” End said. “But it’s possible to celebrate responsibly.”
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
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