Police fire tear gas at Cedar Fest crowd

Police have fired multiple canisters of tear gas into crowds at Cedar Fest, where thousands of people have gathered throughout the night.

The gassings occurred at about 2:15 a.m. after police warned partygoers who had chanted, thrown beer bottles and torn down a street sign at Cedar Village for a few hours.

“All we saw was the floodlights and the speakers, but no warning,” finance junior Jeff Malkiewicz said. “We saw the smoke and we were barricaded. All of the sudden, we’re puking and crying.”

Beer bottles were being thrown at police cars following the release of the tear gas as partygoers dispersed from the area.

Near Eden Roc and River Park apartments, 40 to 50 bricks thrown at police lined the street as a fire in a trash bin with flames at more than 10 feet continued at about 2:45 a.m.

Video: ELPD Cedar Fest ...

The fire is one of three reported fires in the Eden Roc Apartments area at about 3 a.m.

The number of arrests, injuries and tear gas containers dispersed is not yet known.