As thousands of fans battled the heat to catch the first game of the 2012 Florida Gators football season, University Police and Gainesville Police officers had their share of stadium ejections and arrests.
At the UF-Bowling Green State University game on Saturday, police ejected a total of 35 people from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, including the arrests of two UF students.
According to a UPD press release, police issued six civil citations for alcohol possession inside the stadium.
The most common reasons for ejections on Saturday were alcohol possession and fans standing on seats.
This year’s game saw a decrease in ejections and arrests compared to last year’s season opener against Florida Atlantic University.
On opening day in 2011, police ejected 53 people, issued four civil citations and arrested three people — two for battery on a law enforcement officer and one for alcohol possession. None of the arrests involved UF students, according to a UPD-archived press release.
As part of a Gainesville city ordinance prohibiting alcohol inside the stadium, police will continue to issue citations to people caught with alcohol instead of arresting them, according to the release.
Contact Chris Alcantara at calcantara@alligator.org.
