*****LEATH VEISHEA PRESSER LIVE STREAM*****
- Thread starter tm3308
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Actually based on what I've seen the Ames PD approached this about 1,000 times better than they did in 2004.
yup. its not that we expect the police to be good at crowd control because its a service to those being stupid. we would want good crowd control because the 99% of people who are no issue at veishea would rather the chances of events happening that could kill all the enjoyment the 99% are having be decreased. Its why you have security at any big event, even if 99% of people are good you need to properly address the bad eggs. It sounds like APD may have failed here in this regard by funneling people down to welch again after breaking up a large party. That was one of the top 'mistakes' 10 years ago
Bloody freaking stupid all around.
The drunken fools last night and the crowd that egged them on and afforded them anonymity...the persistent labeling of this by the media (and other occurrences) as a "VEISHEA" riot when it was not on campus or at a VEISHEA sponsored event...the decision to punish the real VEISHEA participants for the actions of people who chose to get drunk and stupid...the hyperbole surrounding VEISHEA in the social media - did you know that someone dies EVERY YEAR at a VEISHEA event? Nope. Neither did I.
The actions last night were wrong wrong wrong.
The kneejerk reactions today are wrong wrong wrong.
The drunken fools last night and the crowd that egged them on and afforded them anonymity...the persistent labeling of this by the media (and other occurrences) as a "VEISHEA" riot when it was not on campus or at a VEISHEA sponsored event...the decision to punish the real VEISHEA participants for the actions of people who chose to get drunk and stupid...the hyperbole surrounding VEISHEA in the social media - did you know that someone dies EVERY YEAR at a VEISHEA event? Nope. Neither did I.
The actions last night were wrong wrong wrong.
The kneejerk reactions today are wrong wrong wrong.
When the time has come that the police are expected to make special perparations for rioting because of the past history of the event, and an event nonetheless that is supposed to celebrate the University, perhaps that event has outgrown it's usefulness.
To be frank, the only way VIESHEA is going to survive going forward is for everybody to admit that the biggest draw for the majority of those who "attend" the event are the big alcohol bashes that surround the on-campus events. This has been in the works for the last 30 years. Yes, people work hard on floats and displays, and I really feel sorry for those who put that kind of work in. But IMO all that has now taken a back seat to the partying. As others have posted, look at the pre-riot posts here on CF. How many were celebrating the partying, and how many were celebrating the parade and other on-campus events?
It's no big revelation that riots break out in large conglomerations of overly drunk people. Would there have been a riot in Ames last night if VIESHEA was not in progress?
It's VEISHA week. Was the APD staffed correctly given the issues in the past
It's a college town with a history of unrest when the weather gets nice. What contingency plans are in place to meet these issues?
Was there an on call pool of law enforcement to call in when the situation started to boil over?
So far it sounds like the only plan was thinking it was Tuesday and nothing could happen.
You think the Ames law enforcement shouldn't have plans in place to keep this activity from happening? Rely on luck?
Again I'm not defending knuckleheads who did this, but what role does the APD have in preventing and/or quelling disorder in town?
The riot wasn't university sponsored, no. It was not on the VEISHEA schedule of events.
But it is entirely appropriate to call it a VEISHEA riot. It only happened because it was VEISHEA week and everyone was chanting "VEISHEA" while tearing stuff down.
So if we all go to Iowa City, riot, and cause mayhem while shouting "Let's go Hawkeyes!" they'll cancel Hawkeye sports?
Spot on.
It would seem that the argument being made is that there isn't enough trouble to warrant cancelling the event. But enough for the Ames PD to call in the reserves and be in full riot mode at a moments notice.
Just can't get my head wrapped around that. "It's not a problem. But it's their fault for not foreseeing the problems"
I am disappointed and sad for students who put so much time and effort into making the VEISHEA 2014 successful. Small group of idiots who doesn't care about anything but to have fun ruined one of the best traditions in the country. They should be ashamed and expelled from the University.
It may not be sponsored by the university, but the culture that's spawned these riots has become every bit as much a part of VEISHEA as the concerts, parade, etc. are. And that culture is pretty damn exclusive to VEISHEA week.
I don't practice civil litigation, but you can't recover against someone for an act they didn't cause that occurred on someone else's property.
The real world example would be if I was throwing a party at my house on Saturday, and everyone knew it was a big party and was really excited for it. My neighbors were so excited, that Tuesday night beforehand, they got drunk in their yard, and then wandered down the street and tore the street lamp down.
I think it's reasonable for the police to not expect a riot on the Tuesday of VEISHEA. If this were Friday or Saturday, even Thursday I could see blaming the police for not having an increased presence. Every previous riot has happened on the weekend. Tuesday is not a major partying night, even during VEISHEA. Why should they staff up hugely when there is not an expectation of large parties?
I'm not even sure how this happened. The reports I've read said only one party was broken up. That would have maybe 100-200 people max? Yet on the streets there were thousands. Where did all those people come from?
Do you think they are the same students who have put so many hours of work into VEISHEA? I doubt it. The wrong people are being punished. The ones who worked hard and tried to represent our University in a good light are being punished because people got drunk & stupid. What happened last night was NOT VEISHEA. If you think it was, then you don't understand what VEISHEA means...just like those last night didn't understand.
Really?!?! Really??? So, it wasn't a big deal that someone was murdered in 1997 during Veishea? So, it wasnt a big deal that there was over $250,000 in property damage in the 2004 riot? So, it wasn't a big deal that someone nearly died last night in a riot? Dude, you need to get a grip on reality!
People that attend the University now were ~8-12 years old and pretty much know Veishea as a reason to be rowdy, and perhaps, riot. You are right, this is a great celebration for the University. It's about time that people figure out that the actions of a few nuckleheads create big repercussions for the rest of the Universities students/faculty/staff, organizers, performers, businesses, and community that work really hard for the culmination of this weeks festivities and for those who want to have a celebration that brings out the best of Iowa State University.
I realize you're a hawk fan, but you do know that VEISHEA is the largest STUDENT RUN celebration in the nation right? Would it be the same, no, but to think it wouldn't continue in some capacity is dumb. The only things missing would be those most of us as alums would like to continue to see happen.
