Police Investigating Riotous Fight at Mews Tavern

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI—South Kingstown police are investigating a major fight that turned into a riot at the popular Mews Tavern in Wakefield early Sunday morning after an apparent dispute following a college basketball game spiraled out of control.

Police are not releasing any information about the incident or whether anyone was arrested. Capt. Joel Ewing-Chow of South Kingstown police on Friday said “at this time the incident is still under investigation so we will not be releasing details at this time.”

Witnesses told the Patch that the fight apparently began at around 12:30 a.m. after the game between the University of Rhode Island Rams and the Providence College Friars. Multiple people who were at the bar that night said a person made bigoted remarks toward a Muslim, sparking the altercation. Eventually, the fight attracted about 20 people and spilled outside of the establishment.

According to multiple reports, the scene was one of the most violent and chaotic ever to erupt at the longtime Main Street establishment and staff were overwhelmed as the fighting escalated.

One woman was tasered, another person was knocked unconscious by a flying bottle and someone took a tire iron and smashed the building’s rear windows, witnesses said.

Daniel Rubino, vice president of Mews Tavern, said Friday that couldn’t comment about the matter at least until he has met with the police department. He said that he was planning to talk to police later today or tomorrow morning about the incident.

This story will be updated as new information comes in.

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