Volvo Ocean Race: Apology For Ruckus Outside Clarke Cooke House

NEWPORT, RI—Police arrested seven people with the Volvo Ocean Race partying at a downtown night spot on Bannister's Wharf. The race officials released a statement Tuesday. In the statement the organizers apologized to the people of Newport. Here it is.

On Tuesday, following an incident in downtown Newport, seven people associated with the Volvo Ocean Race were detained by local police. All were released after pleading to misdemeanour in disorderly conduct.

On behalf of the Volvo Ocean Race we apologise to the Newport community for any disturbance caused and we thank the authorities for their assistance.

Three were initially charged with assault or battery after a scuffle with police officers, according to the story in the Newport Daily News, but those charges were dismissed per the Judicial Portal. Their lawyer entered no contest pleas to one count of Disorderly Conduct. All charges were filed, meaning they will disappear in a year's time, if there is no further trouble.

The trouble started when a fire alarm went off inside the Clarke Cooke House around 1 a.m. Firefighters were attempting to reset the alarm, but some of the crowd refused to leave the building. Some 100 people were at the scene when a fight started between one of the sailing crew and a police officer.

Here are the accused:

Stefan Coppers, 36, of Amsterdam, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Isabel Hall, 30, of London, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Deirdre Waters, 21, of Queensland, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Simon Mark Botes, 33, of Palma de Mallorca, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Timothy Frank Newton, 55, of Apthorpe, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Martin Ostrowski, 33, of Olsztyn, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.

Andrew James Cape, 56, of Lymington, pleaded no contest to Disorderly Conduct.