UC Davis officials announced today that Whole Earth Festival's DJ Stage will be shut down beginning next year, citing the campus Police department's investigations of three violent crimes, including the reported rape of a 16-year-old girl, in and around the music venue last weekend.
Police also are investigating reports of two other incidents, a sexual battery and a beating, in the DJ Stage area, which was set up west of Wellman Hall, away from the Quad where most of the festival took place.
"We are sending message that people cannot come to our campus and behave this way," Fred Wood, vice chancellor for student affairs, said in a written statement. "It can't continue and it won't be tolerated. We need to create a safe environment for everyone at this university.
The Whole Earth Festival, a student-run program, originated in the 1970s and is held during the Mother's Day weekend each year. The 42nd annual event took place Friday through Sunday and attracted more than 10,000 people to the campus for live entertainment, food, arts and crafts and educational workshops.
Police said the rape took place inside Wellman Hall and was reported Sunday.
The sexual battery, in which a 14-year-girl was the victim, occurred Saturday evening at the DJ Stage, police said.
As of this morning, no arrests had been made in either case.
Police made a quick arrest in the third violent crime, the beating of a 19-year-old man near the DJ Stage on Friday night, according to a university news release. He was taken by ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center, where he was treated and released.
The suspect, Ramiro Alejandro Cordova, 19, of Woodland, is accused of assault with great bodily injury, a felony.
Police also are investigating a reported assault and robbery of a UC Davis student early Saturday morning in the North Entry parking garage. Campus police arrested one suspect, Joseph Anthony Aragon, 18, of Woodland, in connection with that case, and two other suspects are being sought.
The only UC Davis student involved in the reported incidents was the victim in the parking garage assault, said campus spokesman Andy Fell. The other victims and suspects were visitors to the campus.
The weekend also saw the arrest of a 16-year-old girl on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale, three arrests for public drunkenness and 12 citations for alcohol.
KCRA: Violence breaks out at UC Davis festival - May 12, 2011
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