A rowdy audience at a Campus Activities Board movie precipitated a fight outside the Holmes Student Center and the arrest of a Chicago man Sunday night.

University Police were called by student center security staff after the movie “Poetic Justice” ended. Leon Keutzer, student center building manager, said the redcoats (student center student security staff) called the police when they saw an unusually rowdy crowd leaving the building.

NIU Police Sergeant Ralph Taylor said NIU Police Officers John Lovell, John Kreuteziger and Curt Underwood were dispatched to the old bus turnaround at Carroll Avenue. A large crowd had gathered around a fight which was in progress.

Taylor said one man was in his car and another man, Maurice Shelly, 20, Chicago, was trying to kick him through the car window. While Shelly had his leg in the car, he held the other man’s head and hit him two or three times.

Taylor said when police began to intervene, several other people who had been standing around watching the fight tried to stop the police. More bystanders intervened in an attempt to get Shelly away from the car. DeKalb Police and DeKalb County Sheriff’s Police were called to assist.

Once police broke up the fight, Taylor said the driver told Lovell he intended to continue the fight. Officer Lovell then told Shelly to stay where he was and remain calm.

Taylor said the police reports indicate Shelly then shoved Lovell and struck him with his jacket. Shelly was then told he was under arrest, but he didn’t submit and continued to fight with the other man.

Shelly got away from Lovell two more times before he was cap-stunned with a pepper spray. He then was submitted to custody, handcuffed and arrested for assault and resisting a peace officer.

The other man involved in the incident got away while police were restraining Shelly.

DeKalb Police Lieutenant Richard Moudy said Sergeant William Feithen transported Shelly to the DeKalb Police Department where he was booked and later released on $100 bond.

Student center redcoat Andy Kerwin said movies on Sunday nights are “notoriously rowdy, especially the 10:00 show.” However, he said there is usually no type of major disturbance, aside from additional noise during the show.

Kerwin said some precautions are taken occasionally, such as turning up the lights. He said the redcoats are instructed to call the University Police if anything gets out of control.

CAB rents out the Sandburg Auditorium from the student center to show the movies it presents. Kerwin said CAB decides whether they want to use the redcoats for security or use University Programming and Activities’ security.