This weekend the town I live in had their annual spring festival called Double Decker. It is an arts and music fest that has all sorts of vendors selling any number of products. The musical lineup was pretty appealling because Robert Randolph and the Family Band were the headliners. I went to the festival, hoops in hand, ready to have a good time. I got to the area and decided that since the crowd was so thick I would stash my hoops in a safe spot until I was ready to use them. I went to a venue were I am friends with the door guys, bartenders, and owners and left my hoops just inside the door behind a big bouncer, with his permission of course. I then wandered around for thirty minutes or so and heard the announcement for a really good funk band that would be fun to hoop to. I returned to the venue, hugged and thanked the door guy and went to the stage. I chose to stand in a tucked away spot so I wouldn't congest walking traffic. The band was delayed so I ended up sitting in this corner for over a half hour. The band started and I stood up to get a better look and had been up for a matter of seconds when I saw 2 police officers standing close to me. They approached me and asked if they could have a word with me. I complied b/c I had nothing to hide, but was more than confused with their request. As they walked me into an alley, I could hear the people around me making comments like, "Down with the hippies", "Oooohhh hoola hoopers going to jail", and "this isn't woodstock"! I got into the alley and the officer asked me what I had been doing today. I told him wandering around the festval. He asked if I had been to the venue where I left my hoops and I responded with yes but only long enough to drop them off. He asked me why I would do that. I responded with I wasn't sure what he didn't understand. He asked why I would leave my hoops there and I explained friends, space issues and consideration were my reasons. He then asked if he could search my belongings which consisted of an extremely small bag big enough to hold my i.d., cellphone, and cash. They dumped it all on the ground and pilfered through it. He asked me if I had been causing problems and selling anything. I answered with I have yet to even use my hoop today and why did they pick me. He responded with I matched a description of a female. "Me, I match the description? They described me?" He said "You are the only one around here I see with a hoola hoop." I looked around me and there were 7, yes 7, cops surrounding me. At this point, the officer stood and stared at me and then told me to enjoy the rest of my day. Later that evening a friend of mine, who I was not with at the moment, was almost arrested because an officer told her she had offended him with her hooping and threatened to take her in because she was hopped up on amphetamines. Really???? I am seriously considering filing a report against the police force in my area. None of the hoopers that attended this event caused any problems. Everyone was considerate, shared, hooped in the back away from the major crowd and just enjoyed the day. I was seriously upset by my altercation with the officers. I was singled out because I was carrying a hoop. A circular piece of tubing caused me to get searched and surrounded by 7 officers. I ended up hooping my heart out and receive a wonderfully warm reception from the crowd. I just wanted to share this story and see how others might have handled it differently or steps to rectify the discrimination.