(The following story by Peter Schelden appeared on The Orange County Register website on July 12.)
LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. — For the first time in the event’s 29-year history, police are closing down the 29th annual Mooning of Amtrak because of big crowds and heavy drinking Saturday afternoon.
Police decided what started as a fun–and risque–event could turn dangerous as crowds grew larger than in previous years.
“It started to get a little out of hand so we decided to move in and show presence to try to quell any further disruption,” Orange County Sheriff’s Department Lt. Ted Boyne said.
Nice weather, big publicity and increasing population led to larger-than-expected crowds of between 8,000 and 10,000 at the annual event, held each year at the Mugs Away Saloon across Camino Capistrano from the train track that carries both Amtrak and Metrolink trains.
“There is so much skin,” Cameron Dill of San Clemente said. “It’s our own little Mardi Gras.”
Before police broke up the party, RVs, Harleys, camping tents, and even blow-up swimming pools stretched along Camino Capistrano in Laguna Niguel.
Some members of the crowd offered shots of alcohol to those who would flash them.
POLICE ARRIVE
Along with about two dozen police officers, helicopters announced from loudspeakers that the event was cancelled.
No fighting was reported.
By 5 p.m. Saturday, the crowd had been reduced to about 1,500 people. Police expected to completely clear the street of crowd-goers by about 6 p.m.
There were no fights reported between the crowd and police.
Lt. Lloyd Downing said public nudity and traffic violations added to the department’s decision to shut the event down.
“It’s been an orderly dispersal so far,” Downing said.
CROWD REACTION
Many among the crowd said they were disappointed the event was shut down.
“I’m deeply saddened that the law enforcement we fund feels the need to put a stop to the fun of hard working, law abiding citizens” Gary Stanton, who attended this year’s event, wrote in an email to The Orange County Register.
Others complained that because no brawls broke out, police reacted too harshly.