This weekend I went back down to JMU for Block Party weekend...

The Block Party or "Spring Fest" is an annual event at JMU. Lots of people show up from other places (they are usually the ones who start the trouble) but it's usually a lot of fun. At JMU the party scene doesn't revolve around bars or pay-to-drink parties but rather open house parties where only the host pays for drinks and shares with everyone. Block Party involves a long row of apartments/townhouses that all throw together for a huge party.

I stayed at my brother's apartment which is up the road in another complex from the main party. We walked down to the party, saw it was getting sketchy with beer bottles being thrown and fights breaking out so we turned around and went back to his place. There were cops in full out riot gear and they started to disperse the crowd when people started throwing beer bottles at the them. Luckily, we weren't in the area when the nuts started hitting the fan but basically pepper spray, pepper spray filled paintballs, rubber bullets, and tear gas were deployed. Approximately 30 people were arrested out of a crowd of thousands. (People estimated 8,000 attendees but I have no way to confirm that)

I saw dumpsters on fire, my brother's roommate got hit with a rubber bullet, and his other roommate threw a tear gas canister away from their apartment complex. Lots of broken car windows and torn down lamp posts.

Photos by David Casterline and Robert Hoehn

and thats why im going to virginia tech and not jmu lol.

I have a feeling this is why a guy that works in our C'ville office had an oddball post about JMU on his facebook page.  I have a feeling his band may have been there performing for someone or something.

It's nice to see 'em partying responsibly, reminds me of when they go ape down at the UW Madison here in Wisconsin;  only a few over turned cars and upended streetlights, nothing serious.

It's nice to see the garbage receptacles were properly used.  :

When i was in college about 10 yrs ago I got caught in the middle of a mini-riot. I was actually at the flash point for it. We had a small town college, on 1 street we have about a dozen bars (in a block and a half) all closing at the same time. So LOTS of people, almost all obliterated.

Was standing on the sidewalk walking back to campus, a dude just in front of me was walking with 2 friends, they were all pretty hammered. There was an ornery old cop standing on the street physically poking anyone whose foot slipped off the curb into the street with a nightstick. Was a matter of time before something happened. He poked one of the drunks in front of me. His friend got stupid and stepped out into the officers face. His 2 buds went to help him out, it was like someone dropped a match in gas can. People started fighting, throwing stuff, was insane. Not sure which was worse, the beatings i saw some guys take, of just how fast a relatively normal drunken migration went from normal to insanity. Because of my proximity to the start of it all, I got interviewed by every administrator at school and all police agencies involved. To their credit they made a lot of actually rational and effective changes because of it.

As you found out, the herd mentality of humans can be a VERY scary thing.

I hope you took advantage of the situation by acting like some super hero to a fine young lady...

Ahh yes responsible drinking.

I lived in Santa Barbara for 2 years, Halloween is insane there

brings back good memories...I still think one of the years I went was the worst...

someone said the last riot was 10 years ago. Would that be about right?

...no comment...

god can I be that old

Kids...

There was a time I would have been right in the middle of it. Age has a way to taking care of that though.

Pepper spray is delicious.

DON'T TAZE ME, BRO!

I've been caught in a concert riot once.....Tear gas is some nasty,nasty stuff....

Kids...

Yep

they were talking about this on elliot in the morning  this morning. (NOVA guys should know what this is)

they were talking about this on elliot in the morning this morning. (NOVA guys should know what this is)

really?!?! what'd they say?

Did you see any nudity?

yeah, but not the good kind  :-/

they were talking about this on elliot in the morning this morning. (NOVA guys should know what this is)

really?!?! what'd they say?

people that were there were calling in talking about what went on and saying how they thought the police kind of instigated it. they were also talking about how awful tear gas is.

That's BS. The cops had to do it. The residents wanted them to. People were getting hurt and bottles were flying everywhere. It needed to be shut down. The tear gas is pretty awful though. I didn't get any but there were lots of people throwing up and running around crying.

Did you see any nudity?

And?

Sounds like a regular SEC football weekend.  ;D   ;D   ;D

brings back good memories...I still think one of the years I went was the worst...

We must have been there at the same time then. From almost every party I went to when I was there , there are lots of knuckle heads that attend jmu. Never saw many townies making trouble or anything like that. Was usually some big meat head who wanted to start fights.I seen many people get knocked out. I carried a gun when I was there actually , never had a problem