Police fire pepper balls, arrest 9 at Peoria fest

[July 21, 2008]  PEORIA (AP) -- Police in central Illinois say they fired pepper balls into an angry mob of about 100 people who were fighting during the last night of a city festival.

Peoria police say nine people were arrested at the Heart of Illinois Fair on Saturday night. At least one 16-year-old boy was injured in the fighting and taken to a hospital.

Police used a Taser to subdue one teenage girl and two girls were attacked by between five and 10 people near their car. Off-duty officers broke up mobs in the fair parking lot.

Authorities say the fighting broke out when juveniles who were attending the fair without parental supervision were forced to leave.

Peoria officials say they increased security at this year's fair after large fights at other area festivals.

[Associated Press]

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