Riots Mar VEISHEA Celebration

AMES, Iowa -- The annual student VEISHEA celebration at Iowa State University in Ames turned into a riot early Sunday morning, forcing police in riot gear to use tear gas to break up the large, unruly crowds.

The crowds got out of hand just after midnight, throwing rocks, breaking off light poles and breaking dozens of windows in the campus town area.

Police say the problems started when they went in to crack down on a party on the edge of campus town.

They say people there started throwing bottles and the police responded by spraying pepper spray.

Other students and visitors joined in, and it soon reached riot stage as the crowd started vandalizing businesses and even attempting to overturn police cars.

Ames police, the Iowa State Department of Public Safety, the Story County Sheriff's Office and the Iowa State Patrol were finally able to disburse the crowd and bring the situation under control about 5 a.m. Sunday morning.

College officials say they will now meet to determine the future of VEISHEA and whether it will return next year.

History Of Riots

The VEISHEA celebration has a history of riots and other disturbances happening during its long tradition at Iowa State.

College officials have tried a number of different remedies to avoid the repeat of violence, including moving the celebration earlier into the year hoping cooler weather would prevent unruly crowds.

Also, Iowa State and the City of Ames has cracked down on alcohol use by students and visitors on the streets.

VEISHEA was named in 1922 for the five colleges at Iowa State: V standing for Veterinary Medicine, E for Engineering, IS for Industrial Science, HE for Home Economics, and A for Agriculture.

The event's Web site touts VEISHEA as "the largest student-run, alcohol-free celebration of entertainment and education in the nation and second largest in the world."

Discussion: What Do You Think?