Fans arrested after riot at Iron Maiden concert in Meadowlands

Note: This story was originally published in the Record March 30, 1987.

State officials are considering banning heavy-metal rock music from the Meadowlands Sports Complex following a weekend riot by fans, who overturned and set afire two cars and pelted firefighters with beer bottles.

State police said 33 males ages 15 to 22 were arrested in the melee between 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. yesterday, when 30 state police and night stick-wielding security guards dispersed about 2,000 fans of the heavy-metal group Iron Maiden outside the Brendan Byrne Arena in East Rutherford.

No serious injuries were reported, but one detective was slightly hurt.

State police described the disturbance as the worst ever at the Meadowlands. Detective Richard Ryan said the youths were "charged up" and added: "It was total discord, a mob scene. " About 18,000 people attended the sellout performance.

"When the police rode in they scared... everybody," said John Sorber, 20, of Roselle, a freshman at Union County College. He said a summons was issued to him, charging him with inciting a riot. "People were running for their lives. It was mass pandemonium. "

Robert E. Mulcahy III, president and chief executive officer of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which operates the arena, said in a prepared statement last night:

"The policy of the Meadowlands has always been to provide a broad spectrum of entertainment. This had included so-called heavy-metal groups, and dozens of heavy-metal concerts have been held here without incident.

"However, if the reports from our own security people and the state police lead me to conclude that this policy should be revised, I am prepared to make such a recommendation. "

Mulcahy and Jon F. Hansen, the sports authority chairman, said reports of the state police and the Meadowlands security firm, Burns International Security Services, will be reviewed before any action is taken.

James L. Plosia, East Rutherford's mayor, yesterday said the authority should be more selective about the acts it books.

"I think they ask for trouble when they book some of these groups," Plosia said. "Because of the type of people that follow these groups, they [the authority] are almost a party to this rioting when they book them in the first place. "

Plosia continued: "There has to be some response by state government. We [town officials] have no authority to ban anybody. "

Told that Meadowlands officials were considering barring groups that perform heavy metal a hard-driving rock-and-roll characterized by screeching vocals, thunderous percussion, and wailing guitars Plosia said, "I think they're going to have to do something like that. "

State police gave this account of the riot:

Within a half hour after the concert ended at 11 p.m., someone set fire to a car that had been overturned in Parking Area 22. A large number of fans, many of whom were drinking beer, were loitering.

Meadowlands security guards and fire trucks that responded were pelted with debris. At that point, state police from the Totowa barracks were called. Meantime, another car had been set alight.

Police said Detective Paul Gapch, a plainclothes officer, was slightly injured when a 17-year-old backed his car into the detective. Police charged the youth with aggravated assault and drunken driving.

Charges against the other suspects included refusing to disperse, simple assault, and creating a disturbance. All the suspects were led away in handcuffs before summonses were issued to them and they were released. Damage to Meadowlands property was termed minor.

State police Detective Ryan said: "This is the worst incident we've had here. We've had problems with other rock concerts, but it never escalated like this. Why this started, we don't know. "

While fans are not permitted to bring alcohol into the arena, many drink in the parking lot before and after shows, he said.

Sorber said he was standing with friends "watching these kids roll the cars over" when security guards charged into the crowd with swinging billy clubs. "I was just checking it out. I didn't even run when the guards came," said Sorber, who maintained he is innocent.

"It was crazy, big-time," said Kevin Logan, 18, of Rutherford. "Bottles were being thrown all over the place. They were mostly thrown at the burning car, but people that were walking by were in danger of getting hit. "

Logan said he received a summons for tumultuous behavior for no lawful purpose. He said he would plead not guilty.

At Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, spokesman John Urban said operations and security officials would probably meet today to consider beefing up security for the Iron Maiden concert scheduled Thursday night. He said there are no plans to cancel the show.

Since the British quintet began its U.S. tour in January, there have been no reports of major fan violence, said Michael Jensen, the band's publicist.

"Iron Maiden fans come to listen to music; they don't come to fight," said Jensen. "We just can't be held accountable for the actions of a few hooligans.

Iron Maiden one of the heavyweights of the heavy-metal genre, has its roots in London's East End. It uses posters and between-song advice to promote respect for property and for other people.

More from the archive: Officials amend report on riot at Iron Maiden concert, estimate 500 involved

More from the archive: Iron Maiden concert riot results in ban of alcohol outside Meadowlands concerts

Such practices were in evidence Saturday night. The band's lead singer, Bruce Dickinson, also told a couple of youths who were fighting near the stage: "People at Iron Maiden shows don't fight. If you want to fight outside. "

John Scher, a musical promoter who books most of the Meadowlands concerts, said, "I think this whole incident is a bit blown out of proportion. There were 33 arrests out of more than 18,000 people at the concert, and 33 out of 18,000 does not a riot make. "

About four of last year's 30 concerts were by heavy-metal performers. During an April 1986 show by one of them, Ozzy Osbourne, some fans caused about $80,000 in damage to seats and outdoor lighting. The next Meadowlands rock concerts will feature the Grateful Dead on Apr. 6 and 7.