On Sunday, the South Dakota government reported on the first circular of accidents, arrests and subpoenas of the Sturgis motorcycle rally in the western component of the state. The annual demonstration began on Friday and attracted thousands of unmasked runners to the streets and bars of Sturgis.
While organizers said they expected fewer visitors than in other years, Argus Leader reports that the number of arrests and subpoenas is higher than last year.
The Ministry of Public Security reported that police made 84 arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or drug-related crimes over a 24-hour period from Saturday to Sunday morning. This is higher than last year, when 76 other people were arrested in a period of time.
Police have also issued more citations, with 226 people getting tickets. The figure is 37 more than last year. But it appears police are less lenient this year and are letting fewer people off with warnings.
To date, police in the region have reported 18 accidents, up from 20. None fatal.
Ignoring the millions of coronavirus cases now reported in the United States, thousands of motorcyclists gathered this weekend in Sturgis for what is announced as the world’s largest cycling gathering.
In June, city officials voted 8-to-one to continue the demonstration, CBS partner KELO reported. In an email to CBS News, Christina Steele, head of public data at the town of Sturgis, said that “the resolution of holding the rally came here after hearing thousands of attendees coming to the event, even though she had canceled through the city of Sturgis.”
In recent years, the 10-day rally in the city of Sturgis has attracted thousands of cyclists to socialize, drink and have fun in combination, raising fears that this year’s edition will be a mass market event.
For now, the north-central state is far from the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic — Meade County, where Sturgis is located, has registered only one virus death, according to state health officials — but some of the bikers pouring into the area are coming from distant states far more afflicted.
South Dakota, site of the famed massive sculpture of four former presidents on Mount Rushmore — where President Donald Trump held a rally last month — is one of the few to have never ordered a lockdown or insisted on mask-wearing.
Attendees in Sturgis are being encouraged, but not required, to wear masks. Few appeared to be doing so.
SoArray as the main street of the city is full of motorcycles and the bars are full of cyclists, there is little evidence of social estrangement. Visitors to this 80th edition of the cycling rally already exceed 6000 Sturgis residents, trapped in the hills of South Dakota.
The rally has long been a great financial aid to Sturgis, and dealers took full advantage of it on Sunday.
They sold T-shirts with the caption “I survived the crown” or “God, the guns and Trump” or they wore a photo montage of the president dressed in a leather jacket and making an obscene gesture.
While some citizens talked about the two-wheeled invaders, the governor of the state warmly embraced them.
“We are so happy to find what our wonderful state has to offer!” Tweeted Kristi Noem, Republican and a s closer to Trump’s supporter.
Our state hosted the Mount Rushmore fireworks birthday party. We had the first national indoor sports occasion with enthusiasts thanks to @PBR.
We’ve been back to normal for more than 3 months, and South Dakota is in place.