The riot at the UMD after the Terrapin’s win against Duke has stirred a debate among the City residents – does this hurt the image of the City – a City that portrays itself as the home of the University of Maryland.
There have been many versions on the incidents. The students say the police went too far.
“To start, This was not a riot, this was a street celebration, the police treated it as riot because of our uproarious past, they prepared for the worst, and carried out their plans to stop a riot, but what actually happend was they made the situation worst.” – says one student.
The police does not agree and has justified its arrest of 28 students.
“College Park, Prince George’s County Police Chief Roberto Hylton said Thursday officers were justified in using pepper spray, riot shields and batons to disperse revelers.”
The UMD, in the mean time, says it will investigate.
“the University of Maryland is taking steps to assure that those incidences are fully investigated, documented and, where appropriate, fully addressed by the university’s judicial process.”
While the investigation will take its course and will find out the actual cause of the riots, many residents think the City loses at the end after such riots.
“They (the students) have treated us like a trash can” – says one disgruntled resident in north College Park.
Joe
Not that we needed any, but these sudden bursts of sports-induced exuberance, be they “riots” or “celebrations,” are proof that the majority of UMD students have no connection to and no interest in the city or its residents. So why, I wonder, does the city continue to focus it’s improvements (be they in the name of development or public safety) downtown when most of the city’s residents live elsewhere? I’ve only lived here for 11 years but in that time there have been no riots in North College Park….