USA Today - July 5, 1991
Edna Gundersen

Rose blames lax security for riot


"I don't think the blame would have come down on the band had the crowd gone crazy at a Barry Manilow show," singer Axl Rose says of the Guns N' Roses concert that ended in a riot Tuesday night. "I'm an easy scapegoat."
     But not a willing one. Rose blames lax security for the destructive rampage at the show outside St. Louis. At least 64 concertgoers and 15 officers were injured, and the new Riverport Amphitheater sustained $200,000 in damages.
     Police are mulling charges against Rose, whom the promoter claims incited the riot.
     Rose says there's evidence to the contrary: "We have the whole thing on videotape."
     Near the show's end, Rose grew agitated when security guards, who he says tolerated rowdy, disruptive bikers near the stage, failed to confiscate a camera from one of them.
     "I asked them three times, 'Get that guy.' Nobody did anything. Finally, I went in after the guy, to restrain him while someone else got the camera." (GNR's contract forbids cameras, knives and bottles, all in evidence, he says. Though the band discourages alcohol sales, the venue sold beer.)
     Citing "lame security," the bruised Rose (who lost a contact lens) ended the show. A GNR spokesman announced that the band would return if calm prevailed. It didn't.
     Rose says he wanted to continue playing, but "the drums were damaged, and the police and promoter did not want us to go near the stage.
     "I would have liked to go out there and calm the crowd down. We weren't given the opportunity."
     Guitars were salvaged but most of GNR's equipment was destroyed or stolen, forcing postponement of Thursday's show in Chicago and possibly Saturday's in Kansas City.