Celebratory or Shameful? PSU Students Rambunctious in Red Sox Win

PLYMOUTH, N.H. -Town of Plymouth residents probably wish the National Weather Service would have run their test a little bit longer. At twelve a.m. thursday morning, The National Weather Service ran their monthly test right during the middle of the bottom of the ninth in the deciding game 7 between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Luckily for anyone watching the game, the test only ran for about a minute. Ten minutes later, the Red Sox were on their way to the World Series and Plymouth State Students went to the streets. Just as the Sox won, cheers and firecrackers echoed throughout the chilly night. Hundreds of students from on-campus dormitories and off campus residences collected on the green outside of Mary Lyon and made ran a makeshift victory lap circling down Main Street, up past Boyd, and ending at Blair Hall. From there, the crowd dispersed and students ran off in different directions, most of which ended up on Russell Street. As students attempted to make their way to the south side of campus, they were met by police officers rerouting people back from where they came. Around 12:15 a.m. several hundred students lined both sides of Russell Street, and threw beer bottles to the pavement while police marched up and down in attempt to keep students divided and under control. Police Departments present at the scene included The NH State Police, and Grafton County Sheriff Dept., along with the Nashua, Holderness, Meredith, Bristol, Carroll County, Campton, and Ashland departments. The crowd stayed relatively under control excepting the littered glass and frequent raving “Yankees Suck”. At one point, a University Police cruiser pushed the crowd to the sidewalk s while driving south on Russell and endured a resounding ” Boo” from the students. At 12:45 a.m., three riot police walked up the street, canines and night sticks in hand, to investigate potential problems and two students who were sitting in a tree leading the crowd in a ” Fuck the police” chant. After a few minutes the officers rejoined the police barricade, and the entirety of the Riot police squad ascended up Russell Street in full force. Over 30 police officers advanced on the crowd-some with tasers, others with pepper spray filled paintballs which they shot onto the ground towards the masses. One student, Kyle Widness, was advanced upon by a police officer and hit with a taser while standing on the sidewalk outside of his apartment. While questioning Kyle after the event, a riot police officer walked up and said: “Leave immediately or get inside. You’re [Kyle] the one yelling, so you’ll be the one arrested.” After a second push made by the riot police, the crowd finally dispersed and most students returned to their homes. Reports estimated that there were close to one thousand people lining Russell Street at the climax of the celebration. The College Community Council Neighborhood Watch Volunteers were also out trying to keep things safe and under control-VP of Student Affairs Dick Hage, and Dean of Students Tim Keefe among them. Activities were ablaze outside of Russell Street as well. Reports of a small group gathered around a burning mattress behind Boyd, and an unknown vandal had spray-painted ” Fuck the Yankees” on a white barn outside the residence of 25 Russell St. Also, burning bright was a pine tree set on fire by an unknown male student behind the HUB on property belonging to President Wharton. Mary Lyon Resident Director Tony Trodella broke the fire case in the lobby of his residence and ran out to extinguish the burning tree. New Hampshire State Police, PSU Police, and the Plymouth Fire Department also responded to the scene. According to The Plymouth Police Department, approximately 15 people were arrested throughout the night and charged with a variety of disorderly conduct crimes, but no major injuries were reported