COLUMBUS (Ohio) - AN END-OF-YEAR college block party spiralled out of control as police fired pellets and used pepper spray to break up hundreds of rioting students who sparked a string of street fires at Kent State University.
Video posted on the Internet shows students hurling furniture and street signs into the flames on Saturday night as a police commando team in riot gear converged on the crowd.
Kent police said the party grew violent after one reveller was arrested and students began pelting officers with bottles, bricks and rocks.
It was the first violent clash between Kent State students and police in years. In 1970, four Kent State students were killed by Ohio National Guard troops during a campus protest of the invasion of Cambodia.
'They were burning pretty much everything,' said police dispatcher Rosemarie Mosher. 'They were throwing stop signs on the fires, they were throwing chairs, couches, tree branches. Basically anything they could get their hands on.' At least 64 students were arrested, and several officers suffered minor injuries, Mosher said.
Kent State spokesman Tom Neumann said the students' behaviour is inexcusable and the university is awaiting more information from police.
'Obviously, things got a little bit out of hand,' Mr Neumann said.
The university has not received any reports of injured students, he said. -- AP
