8 sideshows broken up in Fresno on Easter Sunday, police say. Spectators ‘defiant’ at one

Fresno police have a warning for anyone caught hanging around videotaping sideshows in the city: They, too, will face consequences.

“They are just as guilty as the drivers themselves,” the department said in a Facebook post Tuesday detailing results of a traffic operation.

“As such, any spectators apprehended at these events will face the same consequences; they will be arrested and their vehicles will be impounded from the scene and held for up to 30 days.”

The Fresno Police Department has been monitoring the city’s cruise nights in an effort to crack down on street racing and other illegal car events. During a single Sunday night last month, officers wrote 107 tickets for street racing and towed and impounded 21 vehicles, and made three suspected DUI arrests.

This year, members of the department’s Traffic Safety Section monitored the cruise kick-off on Easter Sunday and quickly became engaged in breaking up sideshows through the city.

According to the Facebook post, officers broke up eight sideshows Sunday, including one at the intersection of Blackstone and Nees avenues. The situation escalated: “Spectators became defiant and threatened violence,” as officers moved into break up the activities just before 11 p.m.

In all, officers on Sunday issued 177 citations and impounded 57 vehicles. Forty of those will be held by the department for 30 days. Nine people were arrested for driving without a license or with a suspended license. One person was arrested on suspicion of DUI. One firearm was also recovered.