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Thursday, October 28, 2004

Chaos in Kenmore Square

Air Date: 10/28/2004

A Red Sox celebration spilling into the streets. Dozens are arrested as police work to keep the peace. The World Series win posed the first test for police since a college student was killed near Fenway Park after a game last week. A massive police presence helped stop destructive and dangerous behavior before it got out of hand. 7's Victoria Block has the story from Kenmore Square.

Thirty-five arrests, nearly fifty injuries capped off a night of controlled chaos in Kenmore Square where tens of thousands of students poured into the streets for a frenzied and confrontational victory celebration.

The sheer numbers of kids filling Kenmore Square is overwhemling for many of the students themselves and for police who move in line formation to clear them out.

Max Cross, Student
"I was expecting a lot worse. I was surprised there were enough cops there to control the area and things died down pretty quickly"

But not before groups of students through glass bottles at police, and lit fires in the street, trying to provoke police on horseback and in riot gear.

Tear gas and sting balls were used to scatter the crowd. Weapons were clearly visible, but there was no sense of urgency, except in red sox owner John Henry's plea to the team’s fans.

John Henry, Red Sox Owner
"You need to remember we lost someone last week. We want this to be the most positive celebration in the history of New England"

It was a celebration that included dozens of arrests.

Some kids cuffed for tossing trash barrels around and others, like Christopher Brown, for disorderly conduct after refusing to follow police orders

Christopher Brown, Arrested
"Police were spraying mace. The guy tells me get out of here. I said, ‘I'm getting in my car.’ I said it again and a few other nasty things and the next thing you know I'm on the floor in handcuffs"

One person was on the ground injured after falling from the lamp post he had climbed, all of this part of a night to remember and for some - a night to forget

Max Cross, Student
"It never made sense to me. When your team wins the World Series...you say, let’s go destroy something. Let’s blow things up"

The police department’s arsenal last night did not include that less than lethal weapon involved in the tragic death of an Emerson College student last week.

 

Reported by: Victoria Block

 

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