MASS ARREST COULD BE LARGEST SINCE 1985

Police Call Saturday Event A Rave; Others Say Characterization Is Unfair

Saturday night's arrest of 23 party-goers - all of whom are believed to
have taken the drug Ecstasy - could be the largest group arrest in San Luis
Obispo since a 1985 punk rock concert at the Vets Hall turned violent.

Police busted a house party in the Los Verdes Park subdivision just off Los
Osos Valley Road on Saturday night after receiving a noise complaint from a
neighbor.

Some of the party-goers escaped through windows when officers arrived, but
the majority were transported to the police department using five city
patrol cars and one Sheriff's van.

By 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning, the police had identified, fingerprinted and
drug tested all 23 suspects.

San Luis Obispo police officer Scott Cramer said the 23 people - between
the ages of 19 and 24 - were cooperative during Saturday night's arrests.

"They were just very happy - a euphoric group of individuals who had no
animosity toward anybody that night," he said. "Anybody would have been
their friend."

The drug the party-goers are suspected of taking is Ecstasy, a synthetic
amphetamine derivative that produces feelings of elation.

Neighbor Christine Petraeus, who originally reported the party to police,
said she didn't intend for officers to arrest the majority of the party's
attendants Saturday night. She merely wanted the loud, vibrating music
turned down.

"I had no clue that there were any drugs involved," she said.

Ecstasy is often associated with raves, which are all-night parties where
hundreds of people meet at a secret location - usually a large facility
such as a warehouse - and dance the night away to fast, pulsating music.

San Luis Obispo police characterized Saturday night's party as a rave. But
some say loud music doesn't automatically mean that the party is a rave -
or that there are drugs involved.

"I'm a musician that produces music with fast, pulsating beats," said Jeff
Howe, a 26-year-old San Luis Obispo resident and Cal Poly student who
promotes dance parties, "and I don't want my parties associated with drug use."

Howe said he has tried to set up a dance party in San Luis Obispo, but has
had a hard time securing a location because of negative publicity
associated with such events.

"The intention of my party is to make people feel good through music," he
said. "You can stand in front of the speakers, and it feels good. It's like
getting a full body massage."

The only massage Saturday night's party-goers got was one involving
fingerprinting. After being booked at the San Luis Obispo police
department, all 23 were released. Their drug tests should be ready in about
a week.

In 1985, 18 people were arrested before a Dead Kennedys concert at the San
Luis Obispo Vets Hall on Grand Avenue for battling police with rocks,
bottles and a fire hose.

In 1990, six people were arrested after 400 Cal Poly students clashed with
police at Poly Royal, when rioting revelers injured dozens and caused
millions of dollars in damage during Cal Poly's annual open house.