Rioting is back in the news today, with multiple media outlets covering yesterday’s revelations (or really, obvious accusations) that Prince George’s County Police officers may have engaged in brutality against university students during the riots following the Terp basketball team’s victory over Duke last month.
The Washington Post, Washington City Paper, and CBS News were among the myriad of organizations who reported on the video. Most students who participated in the post-game revelry wouldn’t be shocked by what the video shows – there were widespread complaints of police brutality the very next day.
But we aren’t the only local university whose students have clashed with cops. Students at James Madison were fiercely scolded by their university’s president after police had to use tear gas and rubber bullets to break up an unruly crowd of 8,000 at Springfest (which seems to be their equivalent to Art Attack). The Post and The Breeze – JMU’s student paper – have the details.
From The Breeze:
President Linwood Rose left no questions regarding his response to the JMU community via e-mail on Sunday evening, addressing those students who attended Springfest.
“Your collective behavior was an embarrassment to your university and a discredit to our reputation,” Rose said. He plans to handle similar situations even more seriously in the future.
The aftermath of Saturday’s block parties consisted of more than 30 arrests, a stabbing, extensive property damage and injured police and partygoers. The Harrisonburg community has not experienced a riot this serious in 10 years, when civil disobedience units responded to a crowd of more than 2,000 students.
And from The Post:
Rocks, beer bottles and cans flew, hitting and injuring dozens of people and shattering car and house windows, according to police, witnesses and video of events. Dumpsters were set ablaze.
The response eventually involved about 200 police officers from several different agencies, many outfitted in riot gear and fighting back with canisters of tear gas, rounds of pepper spray and foam projectiles. A Medevac helicopter arrived to take a casualty to a trauma center, and about three dozen others went to the local hospital.
By the time it was over, Harrisonburg police said they had arrested at least 17 people and were studying uploaded YouTube videos for more suspects. Other law enforcement agencies made arrests, but the total numbers are still being tallied.
Quick hits
- On Sine Die yesterday, Maryland lawmakers reached compromises on just about everything, according to The Post.
- A former Brown University student is suing the school, claiming he was suspended without due process after the daughter of a major university donor falsely accused him of rape, The Chronicle of Higher Education reports.