Council drinking game leads to arrests

KEENE, N.H., Aug. 9 (UPI) -- A New Hampshire city councilor said she is abandoning plans to question her city's open-alcohol-container ordinance after a drinking game at a council meeting.

Keene City Councilor Cynthia Georgina said she was planning a letter to the council questioning the necessity of 6-29 of the city's code of ordinances, which bans open alcohol containers, but she abandoned the plans after three arrests at Thursday's council meeting, The Keene Sentinel reported Monday.

"I just wanted to send it in and, if nothing else, make sure it was what people still wanted," Georgina said. "Now I wouldn't do it on a bet."

Three people participating in a drinking game organized by Web site www.freekeene.com were arrested during a recess of the meeting. The game involved taking a drink when there was a call to order, a call for everyone to stand or a unanimous vote. Organizers said the game was aimed at inspiring discussion of the open-container rule.

Mayor Philip Dale Pregent said he asked several participants to put their containers away during the meeting. He said there was no way of telling whether the beverages were alcoholic.

Police arrested Ian Bernard, 30, Sam Miller, 34, and Monica Granger, 27. The trio, who were all charged with disorderly conduct, were released on bail pending court appearances.