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This article was published 27/10/2009 (4966 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE organizer of a zombie-themed walk that led to costumed participants swarming vehicles says she’d like to see more police at the event next year to help with crowd control.

Zombiewalk 2009 organizer Sarah Reed, 26, said Monday she was thrilled with the approximately 500-person turnout at Sunday night’s event. She said the event is family friendly, and is celebrated in cities across Canada. However, Reed was appalled police had to deal with some of the participants’ "unfortunate shenanigans" this year.

She said she’d like to organize a team of volunteers to deal with traffic next year, as well as take out permits for the walk and enlist more police assistance. The surprise popularity of the event contributed to a "mob mentality" by some of the participants, she said.

"It’s a zombie walk. We’re not actual zombies," said Reed. "People weren’t respecting the rules of the road. They weren’t following the crosswalks.

"There were people actually running into the road, running at cars. I saw cars actually get swarmed."

Costumed zombies walked from the Exchange District to Osborne Village, and returned to the Exchange by walking near the legislature.

A police spokeswoman confirmed about four or five people called emergency officials to alert them to some very strange traffic problems — like zombies banging on a vehicle.

By the time police arrived, the participants had dispersed, she said.

gabrielle.giroday@freepress.mb.ca