Fairgoers react to viral video of brawl on Big E’s opening night

WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Western Mass News is getting answers after a video that showed a group of people fighting at The Big E went viral. The incident was caught on camera and it is now raising security concerns for fairgoers.

West Springfield Police report that during The Big E’s opening day on Friday night, one man got into a fight with three or four other people near a vendor’s tent. The video showed the group of people taking one man to the ground and repeatedly kicking and punching him.

We showed the video to people at the fair on Monday. They shared with Western Mass News what they thought about the violent footage.

“My mom said the day before coming here she told me there was a big fight and she told me to watch out because she didn’t want me to get hurt,” said Christopher Filip of West Springfield.

LEARN MORE: Brawl breaks out outside Midway on day one of the Big E

“Wow, that’s just wrong...It must be the bad blood that’s coming out of the surrounding areas and dispersing throughout...It’s definitely shocking, but it’s not uncommon place,” added one fairgoer.

Western Mass News reached out to the Big E about their safety protocols, to which we received no answer.

We also checked out The Big E’s website to see what security measures they take to prevent violence like this from happening. The website indicated that:

• No weapons are allowed on the grounds.
• Metal detectors are in use at every entrance gate to the fairgrounds
• Bags are subject to search at gates.
• Security staff is comprised of Big E security personnel and the West Springfield Police Department
• Security office is available 24 hours a day

The police force is seen in the video as the flashing red and blue lights along with Big E security personnel converge on the scene as the fight breaks up just over a minute after the video starts.

In a statement sent to us, West Springfield Police Sergeant Joe LaFrance told us in part quote:

“As officers arrived at the scene, the active fighting was over and all the parties involved were walking away. Officers did locate several of the men involved in the fight, including the victim. He was completely uncooperative with the officers at the scene and refused to provide his name or positive ID. He did not appear to have any serious injuries.  All parties involved were escorted to a gate and off the Big E property.”

West Springfield resident Christopher Filip told Western Mass News, he still would like to see more done to stop these fights at the Big E.

“Well, I feel like the police should’ve been somewhere,” expressed Filip. “There are police lurking everywhere here, I feel like they should be at every corner. Fights happen all the time and I feel like there should be more enforcement.”

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