Bay View - Custer Brawl Didn't Happen

A black eye for MPS was avoided last night.

History almost repeated itself. The situation at Custer High School was on the verge of being a replay of the Bay View - Bradley Tech post-basketball game brawl last January.

Once again, Bay View High School students were involved.

MILWAUKEE -- One year after a melee broke out during the Bradley Tech High- Bay View High basketball game, a similar crisis was avoided during the Custer High- Bay View High game.

“It was crazy,” said Custer shooting guard Jonathan Cousin. “People running on the court while the game was going on.”

Milwaukee Police didn’t wait for a fight to break out. They moved right in and cleared the gymnasium. All spectators were told to leave. The game was then allowed to continue without an audience.

...No arrests were made Friday night.

People running on the court during the game?

I think police were completely justified in clearing the gym.

Clearly, there were signs that trouble was brewing.

After the brawl last year, MPS chose to "severely limit" the fans able to attend Bay View and Bradley Tech basketball games.

620 WTMJ reported:

MPS Spokeswoman Roseanne St. Aubin says for the foreseeable future, MPS will only give two tickets to each player on the two school's teams. The players are only allowed to give those tickets to their parents or guardians. That would mean there can only be a maximum of 24 fans in the stands for each team when they play. St. Aubin says the restriction won't affect the opposing team for the schools.

Perhaps that policy should be implemented again.