Free Republic

As the State Street crowd turned suddenly riotous early Sunday morning, police resorted to the use of pepper spray to quell the horde of Halloween revelers for the fourth year in a row. Madison’s Halloween tradition is now in jeopardy, as indicated by a release Sunday from Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Police Chief Noble Wray, which raised serious questions about the future of the event. Discussions to cancel the event or limit it are expected to ensue over the course of next year.

Backing off denials that he had lobbied firms that do business with the city to help fund the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Thomas M. Menino now acknowledges he personally asked at least two companies with city contracts to pony up for the 2004 event. Menino had told the Herald that during fund-raising sessions at the Parkman House, he and U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy placed joint calls to officials from Liberty Mutual Group and State Street Corp.