Police use force to slow rushing fans

Although thousands of sports fans will remember Saturday as one of the finest days in Michigan football history, some also will remember the amount of force police used after students rushed the field.

Police released pepper spray into the crowd, tackled students to the ground and escorted others off the turf after euphoric fans rushed onto the field for a post-game celebration.

"I saw the cops kicking the legs right out from underneath students," said LSA junior Jeff Tompson. "Three (officers) would jump on them. One cop, right in front of me, grabbed some kid right by the collar by his shirt. He pinned him up against the wall and sprayed mace in his eyes. When kids were rushing the field, the cops were spraying indiscriminately."

Handfuls of students gradually trickled onto the field before thousands got past police barriers by jumping over the 7-foot wall and rushing down stairways.

WARREN ZINN/Daily Michigan State Police officers restrain a fan near a goal post on the field of Michigan Stadium. The fan was among an estimated 8,000 who rushed onto the field after Michigan's 20-14 victory over Ohio State.

DPS spokesperson Elizabeth Hall said about 8,000-10,000 students rushed the field, but said she did not know of any related serious injuries. Hall said two officers suffered minor injuries, one from assault and the other from being hit with a whiskey bottle. During the game, 120 people were ejected from the stadium for various offenses, Hall said.

LSA first-year student Caroline Gregory, whose friend was tackled as he rushed onto the field, said police used pepper spray to intimidate the crowd to avoid a dangerous full-scale rush.

"You can understand that they didn't want anyone to get injured," Gregory said. "I definitely do not agree with the macing. It scared the students to not rush the field too quickly, but there was no reason to inflict pain on them."

Hall said the police's use of pepper spray was acceptable and that "there are guidelines for when (pepper spray is) used." She did not elaborate on the guidelines.

One LSA first-year student said he we was left screaming on the ground after officers sprayed pepper spray in his face.

"To me, it was the most excruciating pain I've ever felt in my life," said the student. "I was shot point blank in the face and after that, I couldn't see anything."

The student alleged that instead of using consistent force in keeping the crowd under control, the police arbitrarily targeted certain students.

"It looked like it was a game," he said. "Some police officers were laughing ... and some were taking it more seriously. I wouldn't have jumped if I would have seen them pepper spraying people."

Other students contended that there was no need to use police force since the crowd was generally under control.

"There was nothing to lead them to believe that the crowd was going to be out of control," said SNRE junior Erik Wetzler. "The only students that were injured were those assaulted by the police."

Athletic Director Tom Goss said he was unaware of any violence that occurred within the stadium, but said that he instructed stadium security before the game to keep students' welfare in mind.

"We directed security to help control the (celebration) process," Goss said.

"Our direction was to keep the kids safe. I think our kids have class. They are normally under control. You have an administration that wants the best for the kids."

DPS Capt. Terry Seames said police only were trying to prevent a tragedy that could have left large numbers of students critically injured.

"Because the wall is 7-feet high, we didn't want something to happen like what happened at Wisconsin two years ago," Seames said, referring to a post-game celebration that left 73 people seriously injured.

Goss said he would be concerned if students were unnecessarily injured.

"I apologize if anything happened out of order in the stadium," Goss said. "The purpose was to let the students have a controlled celebration. I hope our student body understands the safety issues. I think this team could be here next year, so we should ready for it."

LSA sophomore Dan Lis said the pepper spray used on the field and around the goal posts drifted into the stands.

"The people in my section, 28, were sprayed with mace that made us choke," Lis said, adding that it ruined his post-game celebration.

"We were forced to retreat towards the exit. It was extreme, way too extreme. It was like they thought we were going to riot," Lis said.

In addition to police at the stadium, 21 AAPD officers in riot gear lined corners of South University Avenue near the Church Street intersection.

Despite escalated post-game precautions, police said the students celebrating did not pose any major problems.

- Daily Staff Reporter Janet Adamy contributed to this report.

SARA STILLMAN/Daily Ann Arbor and Department of Public Safety officers pin down a fan.

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