Who's more out of control here?
Last night, Ohio State University won the NCAA football championship, defeating the Oregon Ducks 42-20.
As expected, overjoyed Ohio State students took to the streets to celebrate. It's a scene repeated in every college town that has ever won a NCAA football or basketball championship. The Columbus Dispatch describes the scene:
They cheered and yelled and jumped and danced. They yelled, “O-H!” and others yelled back, “ I-O!" And they blocked N. High Street.
Ohio State and Columbus police cruisers converged on the area, attempting to push the revelers back onto the sidewalks, but it appeared to be a futile attempt. As police pushed back one section of people, another group would swarm onto N. High, intent on making the main road a place to party.
Shortly after midnight, police began using pepper spray on many of the party-goers. Some left the area with stinging eyes and runny noses. Others stayed and just seemed to move to other areas along N. High Street.
While police reported a series of dumpster fires, the students themselves say they saw no violence. That didn't stop Columbus police from charging with SWAT teams, police in riot gear, employing tear gas and horses to break up the crowds. Watch the video below and ask yourself—who's out of control? The students or the police?
Of course the police needed to clear the streets, but sending in riot police and indiscriminately pepper spraying, tear gassing, and using horses to charge students? Even the videographer from the
Columbus Dispatch appears to get a full dose of pepper spray. As you watch the video, you see the students go from excitement to rage as police deployed their over-the-top reaction.
As a fan of a sometimes national championship contender, some of the fondest memories of my life are celebrations like the one in Columbus, Ohio, last night. But, if tear gas, pepper spray, riot police and charging horses are to be the new norm to "control" celebrations, I don't think you'll ever see me at one again.