For an event with a peak attendance of 52,385, attended by eagle-eyed Law Enforcement Officers by the hundreds, Burners did incredibly well at keeping the peace, staying out of trouble, and obeying the law.
According to the Associated Press, this year’s scorecard was:
- 22 Arrests
- 230 Citations for drug and other violations
- 441 verbal warnings for everything from speeding to washing their hands and dishes on the playa
Well done Burners – except for 22 of you – and well done LEOs.
In comparison to previous years, there were more arrests but fewer citations. Here’s some recent statistics regarding arrests and citations at Burning Man 2010 and 2009.
2010- 293 citations; 8 arrests
2009- 287 citations; 9 arrests
The Wall Street Journal reports that in 2011, there were 4 arrests for battery from Pershing County police. The Bureau of Land Managment, according to this site says:
2011 – 42 citations; 3 arrests
For previous years (source: Amerika)
Let’s look at the time-line of Burning Man and take note of the “highlights.”
- In 1996 we have our first fatality as a result of a motorcycle collision and three people are run over by a car while in their tent.
- The next year is the first year of grid streets and the Sheriff’s department takes over the gate as the attendees have grown to 10,000.
- In 2000 we have active law enforcement activity, surveillance and searches.
- In 2001 there are five arrests.
- In 2003 there are ten arrests and one fatality.
- In 2004 there are 2 DUIs.
- In 2006 there are 25 arrests.
- And in 2007, a pyromaniac burns the 65 foot effigy ahead of time, is charged with arson, and is sentenced to 1-4 years in jail.
Authorities said he added that he brought enough drugs for personal use and to share with friends while attending the international festival in the Black Rock Desert. The digital scale officers found in his backpack, he said, was thrown in there without thought. The large quantity of small, plastic bags in the bag were to be used to transport the drugs he was sharing with friends, according to the complaint.
The Judge thought that the Prosecutor’s desire to not let them attend Burning Man was a bit extreme:
It wasn’t as surreal as Burning Man itself, but the courtroom banter was a bit unorthodox when two so-called “Burners” from San Francisco appeared in Reno federal court to answer drug charges.
Robert Louis Ruenzel II and Lindsey Ann Neverisky were looking at five years in prison or more after federal agents arrested them last week in an RV stocked with marijuana, cocaine, psychedelic mushrooms, and other narcotics at the annual counter culture festival in the desert 120 miles north of Reno.
They were allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge, but there was a catch.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office asked that they not be allowed to attend this year’s Burning Man festival that concluded Sunday. To that, U.S. Magistrate Judge William Cobb called the prosecutor a “killjoy.”
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FYI: the citation above that people don’t die at Burning Man comes about because they medivac people to Reno and they die there. Those bodies are not counted as Burning Man fatalities and people should be aware that there are multiple deaths each year..
Thanks Melanie, useful info
I think it’s important to emphasize that drugs are a health issue, not a criminal one. People should not be arrested for abusing their health. Furthermore, we must take into consideration that our own government could be importing most dangerous drugs such as cocaine and heroin. I’m ranting, but the point is, does law enforcement genuinely care about our health or are these arrests just another means of extracting money from hapless citizens trying to have a good time?
I think we all know the answer. The prison industrial complex is real.
I think they were more aggressive this year, I saw 2 searches with 5 police cars and dogs while traveling from the gate to the camp. Then one more on the playa, they were going thru an art car while the occupants were seating down in cuffed.
That’s a ‘catch 22’ situation.
Any information on what crimes the 22 arrests were for? Were all drug offenses simply cited or were there some drug arrests too?
no further details yet – if anyone comes across any please comment
well done indeed.