A right and wrong way to celebrate
I'm worried. Not about winning or losing the World Series, I'm worried about the mass hysteria created whether the Sox win or lose.
Today, at Boston.com, we learn that a young woman was killed by a pepper-spray bullet shot by police during a "riot" celebrating the Red Sox victory over the Yankees in Game 7 of the ALCS. The game was in New York yet there was a death in Boston.
Thousands of Sox fans rushed to the "Home of the Boston Red Sox" to show support for their team. It was an awesome sight. Fenway Park was surrounded by an estimated 3,000 fans.
Mt. Washington Observatory
This is the scene atop Mt. Washington. So to all the rioters take a hike, seems like a better way to show support for the Boston Red Sox than destroying property. |
An eyewitness details the fatal scene for the Boston Herald. Apparently some in the crowd took the celebration too far and police were called in. After some altercations with a few "hooligans," police in riot gear used pepper-spray bullets to disperse the crowd. The 21-year-old Emerson College student was killed.
As a result of the death, the mayor of Boston is considering a number of options in order to quell future situations, according to the Boston Globe. One idea - no alcohol sales in Boston pubs. As if this wouldn't, in itself, cause a riot.
However, I can understand Boston's concerns. Rolling over cars, throwing trash cans and pulling down street signs is no way to celebrate. I understand starting fires and destroying property is not a way to root for the Sox.
Here in Maine, we do not need to worry too much about that type of celebration. Sure there will be hundreds of people watching the game in bars from Fort Kent to Kittery. Some patrons may spill into the streets looking for others with which to cheer. You'll hear car horns and hollering, but there will be little mayhem. There will be no deaths. There won't be police at the ready with pepper-spray bullets.
What do the fans gain from destroying their own city? I've never understood this mentality. If anything head to the opposing city and destroy their stuff. Better yet find a different way to show support.
Posted by
at 08:31 AM
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At the beginning of your comments you seem to understand that only a few of the revellers in Boston got out of hand. By the end of your comments, you've expanded the fault to "the fans" and "the rioters." The only real fault for Victoria's death lies with two people: the person who threw the bottle that spooked the police horse, and the police officer who overreacted by shooting pepper-spray capsules at face (instead of chest) level. I suppose the investigation will tell us if he acted in anger or out of lack of training, but it seems clear that if there were only "a few hooligans," then firing dozens of capsules into peoples' faces was overkill (sad pun not intended). The unfortunate truth of all "less-than-lethal" force (from stun-guns to tear gas to pepper capsules) is that it can be, and too often is, lethal.
Posted by
Ben BernardOctober 22, 2004 10:17 PM
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