Protesting a 30% fee hike to state schools, college students put down their daily meals of raman and Pabst and hit the streets to display their outrage at this outrage. I, too, put down my raman and Pabst to jump into action, as UC Davis students marched towards a police line in an attempt to close down I-80.
The police weren't about to let them march onto a freeway during rush hour... which seemed shocking to many students. So the cops stood their line, pushing came to shoving, and the pepper balls and batons started flying. Take that, ya hippies!
Students claimed the violence was unprovoked. One was noted as saying they could have "diverted traffic to another route around the students" rather than keep them from climbing onto the freeway. Ah, to be in college again!
As the fun and games were commencing, a local newspaper fellow and I started to cough uncontrollably as we stood a good 50 yards back from the police line.
"Hoo-wee", I proclaimed. "What was that about?"
"Looks like the pepper balls are flying," he said, between coughing fits.
Wow, nothing brings back memories like the smell of pepper spray and tear gas! Last time I smelled that, I was a freshman in Eugene... the ol' Ferry Street Riot of '02! Basically, an entire apartment complex threw a party, which spilled out into the parking garage, which spilled out into the streets, which the local police didn't take to kindly to. They set up a line of cops in riot gear a few blocks down... which just provoked the drunken mob to throw bottles and start fires in the streets. The tear gas and rubber bullets flew, and the drunkards dispersed. I may or may not have wandered through the scene. I believe it was the same year they decided to stop having football games at night unless they were nationally televised in order to cut back on the drunken numbskullery that was becoming synonymous with the university (as if Animal House didn't already scar it for life).
Of course, none of this compares to the protests and riots going on at colleges in the 70's. What, you don't remember those days? Well, you need to educate yourself by watching my Emmy winning (2005 Student Award, bitch!) short documentary on the topic. Until the national guard gets involved, you kids ain't got nothin'.
Students claimed the violence was unprovoked. One was noted as saying they could have "diverted traffic to another route around the students" rather than keep them from climbing onto the freeway. Ah, to be in college again!As the fun and games were commencing, a local newspaper fellow and I started to cough uncontrollably as we stood a good 50 yards back from the police line.
"Hoo-wee", I proclaimed. "What was that about?"
"Looks like the pepper balls are flying," he said, between coughing fits.
Wow, nothing brings back memories like the smell of pepper spray and tear gas! Last time I smelled that, I was a freshman in Eugene... the ol' Ferry Street Riot of '02! Basically, an entire apartment complex threw a party, which spilled out into the parking garage, which spilled out into the streets, which the local police didn't take to kindly to. They set up a line of cops in riot gear a few blocks down... which just provoked the drunken mob to throw bottles and start fires in the streets. The tear gas and rubber bullets flew, and the drunkards dispersed. I may or may not have wandered through the scene. I believe it was the same year they decided to stop having football games at night unless they were nationally televised in order to cut back on the drunken numbskullery that was becoming synonymous with the university (as if Animal House didn't already scar it for life).
Of course, none of this compares to the protests and riots going on at colleges in the 70's. What, you don't remember those days? Well, you need to educate yourself by watching my Emmy winning (2005 Student Award, bitch!) short documentary on the topic. Until the national guard gets involved, you kids ain't got nothin'.
2 comments:
In the Ferry St riot of 02...when the owner of the couch began burning it in the street...did you at any point think..."what an idiot."
Because when I covered that event...I remember thinking..."what an idiot." But maybe I was just old and didn't "get it."
No, you were entirely right. It was pointless debotchery by a bunch of dumbass drunkards. There's no defending it.
We were at the party as it spilled out into the streets. When the cops showed up, we retreated to our friend's apartment along that street and watched from the balcony. And that tear gas has a way of making its way everywhere.
On a sorta related note, I camped out for civil war tickets that same year (which was totally unnecessary to get the tickets), and around 4 am someone lit a couch on fire in the Autzen parking lot. There was a security dude with a mullet freaking out because he didn't know what to do about it. Then someone in the crowd shouted "Put it out with your mullet!" It made no sense, but it was still a great moment.
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