Riot at PSU

Centre Daily Times Photos by Michelle Bixby

After Penn State defeated Ohio State last night, Penn State fans went crazy and began to celebrate in the streets. But the celebration soon turned destructive. For the first two hours of the riot, I was stuck in the newsroom toning football photos and as soon as I was done I raced to downtown State College, parked my car a safe distance away from vandalism and ran full speed to Beaver Avenue. I was amazed at the massive size of the crowd contrasted by the handful of police officers armed with only helmets and pepper spray. I fought my way into an ocean of intoxicated Penn State fans and was amazed at how they made a path for "the chick with the camera!" Thus began my night of pepper spray, cops, and milk. I was in the middle of all the action... Light posts were being torn down, trees and bushes uprooted, trash lit on fire, cars being stood on, and hundreds of Penn State students were sprayed in the face with tons of pepper spray held inside small fire hydrant shaped containers. I was escorted off the road once by an officer who said that just because I have a camera doesn't mean that I was exempt from having to stay on the sidewalk. But, hey, I got some sweet photos, and eventually caught some pepper spray with my face. It was a good night.