Spontaneous street parties erupted throughout Berkeley Tuesday night in response to Sen. Barack Obama's victory in the presidential election.

Throughout the evening, crowds were reported up and down Telegraph Avenue and Sproul Plaza, at Doe Library and the Free Speech Movement Cafe, on Shattuck Avenue and in front of the Obama campaign headquarters on Adeline Street.

Police cars engulfed by Obama supporters chanting, "Yes we can!" evoked images of students preventing officers from toting away protesters during the Free Speech Movement, only this time, the police weren't there to arrest anyone or stop a sit-in. They were sent to make sure the celebrations stayed safe.

According to Berkeley police Officer Andrew Frankel, the police department didn't anticipate 400 to 500 people rallying in the streets in response to the election results.

He said officers were more concerned with the possibility of major harm being done, such as the destruction of building-fronts, than the "tomfoolery" of a few individuals who climbed on top of street lights.

"This wasn't a riot-this was a spontaneous celebration," Frankel said.

Freshman Zack Looman said the impromptu celebration started as a smattering of people yelling separately who eventually formed a small group that expanded as it moved around the perimeter of the campus, occasionally marching through Sproul Plaza.

According to Frankel, as the crowd grew, the police presence grew in response. Likewise, as the crowd dissipated, police presence shrank.

The streets surrounding the campus were closed as a result of the celebration, but City Councilmember Kriss Worthington said he doesn't think the party posed any problems to businesses located on or around the closed-off streets.

Frankel said the crowd was very well-behaved. He said that one of the officers who had watched over the crowd told him that about 15 people actually stayed after the party had dispersed to clean up trash in the intersection. Historically, responses to election outcomes have been non-violent in Berkeley, he said.

Overall, the rallies had few negative effects. According to Frankel, one person was hit by a car in front of the Obama campaign headquarters, but the individual's resulting injuries were minor.

Frankel also said there was one arrest for spray-painting the Bank of America on Telegraph and Durant Avenues, but said he doesn't know whether or not the vandalism was connected to the crowd that had formed at the intersection.

Worthington said he has never seen Berkeley react so strongly to the results of an election.

"Seriously, I'm trying to think back to when there was such an outpouring of emotion," he said. "It wasn't for (President Bill) Clinton … it wasn't for (President Richard) Nixon."

Tags: ELECTIONS 2008