We Warned Our Students

Posted on October 22, 2004 by glasscastle

We
warned our students to stay away from Kenmore Sq. Although it is practically
part of the Boston University campus, Kenmore Square, the
Foyer of Fenway Park, crowned by the iconic CITGO sign, has become Celebration
Ground Zero after any exceptional Boston sports victory, and a dangerous place to party.

After a Superbowl victory (which are becoming mundane these days) or
a pennant clinching victory over the Yankees, it is sure as bad weather
in New England that a young and intoxicated crowd will gather in Kenmore
Square, bent on destructive celebration and extensive property damage.
Considering the volatile mixture of alcohol, adrenaline, hormones and
extraneous psychotropic chemicals, it is no wonder things get out of
hand. Last night 21-year-old Emerson College journalism major Victoria
Snelgrove was killed when hit in the eye by a pepper spray ball fired
by Boston Police.

The incident happened at 1:30 am, 90 minutes after the Sox beat the
Yanks in the Bronx. Even when the cause of the celebration is centered
elsewhere and the crowd is not fed by 35,000 fans exiting Fenway, these
riots are fed from various sources; the legions of impaired patrons exiting
the many bars and bistros on Lansdowne St. and Kenmore Square itself,
students from nearby BU dorms who pour into the Square in anticipation
of the party and action, students from other Boston area colleges who
pour into cars, or take the subway to get in on the action, suburban
high school kids who have been drinking all afternoon and evening who
think it would be a hoot to hit the Square and celebrate with the college
kids.

Together they turn Kenmore Square into a Free-for-All zone where it
is OK to smoke dope in the streets, girls take off their tops and flash
the crowd, cars are overturned and the police defied and taunted. OK,
we have to admit it sounds like a lot of fun. But as the unfortunate
Victoria Snelgrove would testify, were she still around, all things in
moderation.

Now the authorities are talking about taking extreme measures, like
banning liquor sales at bars during the World Series, prohibiting bars and restaurants from showing live broadcasts of the games (right, like that would be possible) or putting a curfew
over the student ghettos and Kenmore Square during the games. Another
excuse for the Police State to strut their stuff. Wise up, kids, and
keep it off camera.

from the
Boston Herald
This entry was posted in Sports. Bookmark the permalink.

4 Responses to We Warned Our Students

  1. bw says:
    October 22, 2004 at 1:20 pm

    WHAT ABOUT THE FREAKING COPS??????????

    this is from globe:

    A police officer familiar with tactics and nonlethal weapons, who spoke on the condition that he not be identified, said grenadiers are trained to fire the so-called pepper balls at the chests of people because that allows a cloud of pepper spray to rise into the targets’ faces. He said pepper balls are less accurate than some other less-lethal weapons and the rounds can sometimes curve in flight. He said the fact that it was the first time grenadiers had discharged the weapons outside training sessions may be relevant in the investigation.

    http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2004/10/22/otoole_defends_crowd_control_measures?pg=2

    It seems that these damn cops have all these toys that they want to “try out”

  4. Hans Millard says:
    July 31, 2005 at 11:20 am

    sehr gut Saite. Was machen Sie mein Freund?
    keep it up !

Comments are closed.