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Women fighting on pier pepper-sprayed, pier closed

Posted at 8:28 PM, Jul 04, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-04 20:28:21-04

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — The south pier was closed for a short time after a fight broke out.

Twenty woman were involved and refused to listen to Beach Patrol Officer’s orders to end the fight.

A crowd of nearly 200 young adults had formed blocking the middle of the pier when the fight broke out. When the women involved ignored the officers attempts to end the fight pepper spray was used to break them up.

Jeff Hawke said they closed the pier because “the danger to the public and the responding officers posed by the possibility of the hostile crowd reforming.”

One woman jumped into the channel trying to get away, but was helped out of the water by the officer when it became obvious she was not a strong swimmer.

Others involved in the fight ran away, yelling profanities at the officer. Conservation Officers from the Grand haven State Park helped the officer until more Grand Haven Police could clear and close the pier.

The State Park employees told FOX 17 the pier re-opened about an hour later, after officials were sure the crowd had dispersed.