Riot erupted outside Rolling Stones arena concert
15 HURT, 60 HELD AT ARENA ROCK MELEE
In 1972, 15 people were injured and 60 arrested in a threehour melee that raged outside the Sports Arena as police clashed with fans trying to get into a sold-out Rolling Stones concert.
Some of the disappointed fans had purchased counterfeit tickets. Only minor problems had occurred at previous Rolling Stones’ concerts in San Diego, dating back to the group’s first concert here, at the Balboa Park Bowl, on Nov. 1. 1964.
Inside the arena, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Mick Taylor, Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts — with Bobby Keys on saxophone, trumpet player Jim Price and pianist Nicky Hopkins — performed for 16,000 or so ardent fans.
From the Evening Tribune, Wednesday, June 14, 1972: Fifteen persons were injured and 60 arrested last night as a crowd of 500 youths clashed with police outside the Sports Arena where the Rolling Stones rock group was appearing in concert.
A number of rocks and firebombs were thrown. Nine of the injured were San Diego Police Dept. officers who suffered wounds from flying glass and bottles.
The violence came from those unable to get into the Sports Arena. The 16,000 tickets were sold out a month ago by mail — during the first few days they went on sale. Police said some of those involved in the disturbance held counterfeit tickets which officers described as crudely printed.
More than 50 cars were damaged by rocks in the Sports Arena parking lot, police said. There also were reports of some cars being set on fire.
Four cars were hit by rocks while traveling on Sports Arena Blvd.
Two firebombs were thrown into a vacant lot near the Sports Arena, causing a brush fire which had to be put out by the San Diego Fire Dept.
About 200 youths tried to charge through police lines at one point.
Most of the officers were wearing riot helmets and carrying riot sticks.
As police pushed the crowd back from the arena, firebombs were thrown at passing cars on Sports Arena Blvd.
Police said they were able to disperse the crowd outside, sweeping the entire arena parking lot, before an estimated 16,000 concert goes streamed out.
Sixty persons were arrested as a result of the violence, 11 of them in connection with felonies.
Two girls on their way to the concert suffered severe facial cuts from flying glass and were taken to Doctors Hospital.
One girl, Lisa Langill, 17, of 6463 Lake Mere Court, was treated at Doctors Hospital for severe cuts on the nose after a rock was thrown through the windshield of her car. She later was released.
The rock reportedly was thrown by a police officer an Chief Ray Hoobler is investigating the incident.
At least six windows on the southwest side of the Sports Arena were broken by rocks. An arena official estimated the damage at $1,000.
Evening Tribune photographer Jerry Windle was hit twice by rocks while on assignment at the concert.
“It’s real guerilla warfare,” said police inspector William B. Kolender, who helped supervise 190 officers of the San Diego Police Dept. during the three-hour disturbance.
Police declared the crowd outside the Sports Arena — which reached an estimated 1,000 at one time — and unlawful assembly at 7:44 last night, closing off Sports Arena Blvd. to all traffic for 30 minutes.