LAGUNA NIGUEL – For the first time in the event's 29-year history, police closed down the 29th annual mooning of Amtrak because of big crowds and heavy drinking Saturday afternoon.
Police decided that what started as a fun – and risque – event could turn dangerous as crowds grew larger than in previous years.
"It started to get a little out of hand, so we decided to move in and show presence to try to quell any further disruption," said Lt.Ted Boyne of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
Nice weather, big publicity and increasing population led to larger-than-expected crowds of 8,000 to 10,000 at the annual event, held each year at the Mugs Away Saloon across Camino Capistrano from the train track that carries both Amtrak and Metrolink trains.
"There is so much skin," Cameron Dill of San Clemente said. "It's our own little Mardi Gras."
Before police broke up the party, RVs, Harleys, camping tents, and even blow-up swimming pools stretched along Camino Capistrano in Laguna Niguel.
Some members of the crowd offered shots of alcohol to those who would flash them.
POLICE ARRIVE
Along with about two dozen police officers, loudspeakers on helicoptors announced that the event was cancelled.
No fighting was reported.
By 5 p.m. Saturday, the crowd had been reduced to about 1,500 people. Police expected to completely clear the street by about 6 p.m.
Lt. Lloyd Downing said public nudity and traffic violations added to the department's decision to shut the event down.
"It's been an orderly dispersal so far," Downing said.
I wonder what kind of announcement they make on the trains before they go through the mooning zone? I'm sure it's not a pretty sight.
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