Students at the University of Arizona apparently did not take Saturday night’s loss to Wisconsin in the Elite Eight well.
According to student newspaper Daily Wildcat’s Twitter account (@dailywildcat): “Dozens of students shot with beanbags” by law enforcement who were wearing riot gear and gas masks.
Tucson police said they shot pepper spray at several hundred fans who took to the streets and threw beer bottles and firecrackers at officers after the team’s overtime loss in the NCAA Tournament.
There were no reports of injuries to fans or officers, but 15 people were arrested for offenses such as resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and unlawful assembly, Tucson police Sgt. Pete Dugan said.
Of those arrested, 14 were released, and one was sent to Pima County jail. He said those advancing on officers were arrested. The street was clear and the crowd was gone by late Saturday.
Dugan said crowds leaving bars and restaurants near campus after the game filled University Boulevard and wouldn’t leave despite urging through a PA system and social media declaring it an unlawful assembly.
Police brought in cruisers and a unit of officers with batons, helmets and face masks to block the street when people started tossing beer bottles, cans and firecrackers, hitting police vehicles and endangering officers.
Officers fired pepper spray, pepper canisters and pepper balls, which disperse into the air when they hit, Dugan said. No tear gas was used despite some reports.
The college’s student newspaper The Daily Wildcatreported police officers in riot gear formed a line across University Boulevard when the game ended. Officers riding on motorcycles circled fans lined up along the street and then fans then began throwing smoke bombs, beer and objects at the line of police.
Police ordered the crowd to disperse in English and in Spanish, but fans refused to leave and chanting “U of A,” the newspaper reported.
That is when officers began throwing pepper spray canisters and shot balls filled with pepper oil.
The newspaper also reported students threw sparklers and firecrackers at police. One fan was seen walking towards authorities with his arms spread on either side of him. He was shot by police multiple times with pepper balls, and forcibly pulled behind the police line, the newspaper reported.
“Officers proceeded to hold him in place while one officer kneed the man once in the stomach, then punched him three to four times in the stomach and torso before the man fell to the ground,” the newspaper reported.
A witness, David Kitaeff, told The Associated Press that the incident started innocently with people taking photos, but then “people got in cops’ faces.” He said fans were throwing drink cans at officers, whom he saw marching down University Boulevard.
Kendal Washington White, assistant vice president for student affairs, issued a statement late last night thanking police for maintaining order at the Tuscon campus.
“It is disappointing that a minority of Wildcat fans chose to engage in behavior that does not reflect the culture of the University of Arizona and Tucson communities. Our basketball team had a great season and they exhibited exceptional class at every turn. They do not deserve the bad actions of these others. As with all incidents, University students engaged in behavior that violates our Student Code of Conduct will be held accountable,” the statement read.
Arizona lost 64-63 to Wisconsin in the West Region final Saturday in Anaheim, Calif. The school has not been in the Final Four since 2001.
Why do you have to post with videos that start automatically and cannot be stopped?
Two auto starts, how nice. :/
Only worse when you cannot mute the video.
Was Øbama’s son there?
Stupid bast@rds need to riot in their own cities.
Get the hell out of my state, morons.
Sports, the greatest American distraction of all time.