
After Monday's Spring Break gathering got out of hand at a Mansfield park, the organizers tried to move their party to other cities, sparking a municipal game of whack-a-mole.
Mansfield police broke things up at the city's Rose Park after getting complaints about the crowd and the sounds of gunfire.
The next day Mansfield City Manager Joe Smolinski says Mansfield police started getting word of another similar gathering at a Grand Prairie park scheduled for Wednesday night. But when Grand Prairie police learned of that, they closed down that park.
Next, the organizers tried to move it to Arlington but Arlington police put the kibosh on that. Next, the partiers tried to send everyone to another Mansfield park but Mansfield police was wise to them.
Next, they decided to try a park in Fort Worth, but again, no luck for the partygoers.
Since his city was the first target, Smolinski says Mansfield police have increased its presence at all city parks, presumably until Spring Break is over.
On social media, some have posted thoughts that the gathering was primarily a group of outsiders there to stir up trouble. But Mansfield City Councilman and Mayor Pro-Tem Todd Tonore says most of the students who were there wanted no problems and only a small group wanted this to turn ugly.
In response to comments on social media, Tonore says this was not about race, economic status or social class.
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