2008 Woodie Awards
Riot breaks out in Chico
Rioters set fires, head through campus
By: Orion Staff
Issue date: 10/8/08 Section: Online Exclusives
|
Oct. 12, 2008
--
See video of the riots at the bottom of this page
--
About 35 officers spread across Ivy Street between Third and Fourth streets shooting people with rubber bullets as rioters threw bricks and bottles about 1 a.m. Sunday.
People consecutively lit about 12 fires while police shot pepper balls, a paint ball filled with an irritant, at students lining the streets in a riot that spread from Sixth Street to First Avenue downtown, said Lt. Jennifer Gonzalez of the Chico Police Department.
Police tried to break up a party at Sixth and Cherry streets but couldn't gain control of the crowd that moved into the streets, said junior Jon Friedman who was at the party.
"Fights started happening because people didn't want to leave," Friedman said.
Chico police did not return calls by press time.
More than 100 people cheered around a couch fire between Third and Fourth streets on Ivy Street as women on the shoulders of men flashed the crowd.
At 1 a.m. police in riot gear holding ballistic shields marched down Ivy Street yelling to "Get the fuck back," and "Go that way," while hitting people with batons and rubber bullets.
Hundreds more people lined the sidewalks and stood in the streets yelling "Small dick," "You're out of line," and "Fuck the police," under a cloud of smoke.
Junior Sean Kaford was standing near the Sigma Chi house when police shot him in the leg with a pepper ball.
He said he understood why police shot him as about 50 men chanted "Chico, Chico, Chico," in the intersection for Fourth and Ivy streets.
"SWAT did what they had to do for a riot," Kaford said.
Rioters also started a fire in a planter box near Whitney Hall.
Two University Police officers stood guard near the planter box in an attempt to keep the riot from spreading onto campus, said officer Dale Glander.
Police shot student Paul Smith three times, ripping his shorts, he said.
"They decide to shoot us like fucking cattle," Smith said.
Genny McLaren, Meghan Moriarty, Katy Sweeny, Nicole Williams and Megan Wilson contributed to this article
Genny can be reached at
managingeditor@theorion.com
Rioters set a bonfire
Video by Megan Wilson
Officers create barricade
Video by Megan Wilson
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 202
Blasphemous Girl
posted 10/12/08 @ 9:34 AM PST
This is unbelievable - rapes on campus, riots in the streets.. what the fuck? If you don't want to be "shot like fucking cattle" then maybe you shouldn't act like fucking animals. (Continued…)
sweetness
posted 10/12/08 @ 10:20 AM PST
BG is right. They were acting like animals and need to be treated that way. When the riot police show up and your first instinct is to light something on fire or flast your boobies or get in a fight. (Continued…)
chico state student
posted 10/12/08 @ 10:35 AM PST
good for fucking chico. seriously...things in chico arent pretty yet we all sit around acting like we cant do anything about it. maybe destructive isnt the right way but stand up for what you feel ISNT right!!
chico native
posted 10/12/08 @ 10:39 AM PST
I'd be really curious to find out just how many of these rioters are locals. I'm willing to bet it's a very small percentage. In which case I recommend all those "animals" that contributed to this immature and irresponsible act be sent home and lose their admittance to any institution they are currently attending, Chico State, Butte, or otherwise. (Continued…)
chico alky
posted 10/12/08 @ 11:29 AM PST
fuck all u squares the riots were hella fun
Mike Phillips
posted 10/12/08 @ 11:44 AM PST
What ever happened to automatic expulsions? Take those pictures, identify the students in them, and send the students packing. Lighting fires and public nudity are unacceptable and not something students should participate in without consequences. (Continued…)
Friend
Lauren
posted 10/12/08 @ 11:54 AM PST
I would have to agree with Chico Native. I doubt most of these kids were born in Chico. I don't really give a shit if the riots were "hella fun" chico alky. (Continued…)
Trilla
posted 10/12/08 @ 12:05 PM PST
Chico state is what runs this town. if the university wasn't here you'd be some piece of shit town like cottonwood. downtown is our domain, let it be. (Continued…)
Lauren
posted 10/12/08 @ 12:14 PM PST
Just wondering Trilla, were you born in Chico? If not, it really isn't YOUR domain. You can spend time downtown without burning couches, getting drunk, and flashing people. (Continued…)
Trilla
posted 10/12/08 @ 12:16 PM PST
"Chico state is what runs this town. if the university wasn't here you'd be some piece of shit town like cottonwood."
Post a Comment