Arrests as well as citations for illegal use of handicapped parking placards at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival both increased in 2025 over 2024, the Indio Police Department said.
There were 223 arrests over the two-weekend festival in 2025 and 193 in 2024, an increase of 16.5%.
Arrest charges included drug and alcohol intoxication, false identification, possession of illegal drugs and property crimes including theft.
On the first weekend in 2025, April 11-13, there were 22 arrests for intoxication but only two on the second weekend, April 18-20. There were 29 drug-possession arrests on the first weekend and 53 during the second, combining for the most arrests for any type of crime.
Handicapped placard violations increased to 162 from 136, an increase of 19%.
People entering the handicapped parking area were required to show the identification of the person to whom the placard was issued, and that person must have been in the car.
The capacity for the festival is 125,000 fans each day.