Sidewalks become impassable, and the crowd spills into the streets. Following reports of an increasingly hostile crowd, state police presence increases to 291 officers. In the absence of police on Atlantic Avenue, looting erupts. Police re-emerge at about 25th Street, and declare an unlawful assembly. They march forward in step, thrusting batons and ordering everyone off the streets with loudspeakers.
Some rioters shout expletives about the police or militant chants.
At 21st Street, police are met with a hail of bottles, bricks and stones thrown from the Comfort Inn parking deck. It takes about 30 minutes to clear each block. Every available city police officer, about 550, is on the street. And state police presence totals 489. The police are not involved, and the victims survive.