Officials to try and steer riots to Frat Row

Police and university administrators banned discussion about police tactics in a closed-door meeting yesterday about Feb. 12’s Duke victory riots, instead focusing on plans for alternative celebrations on Fraternity Row.

Three student leaders proposed students be encouraged to gather on Fraternity Row following big wins, where they would be provided with diversions such as inflatable beach balls and shaving cream, in lieu of discussing student concerns and past incidents.

The meeting was originally closed to media and the student body because university administrators feared it would turn into a shouting match between students and police, but it was later opened to four at-large students and campus media.

University President Dan Mote wasn’t at the meeting, though he said at a Board of Regents meeting several weeks ago that the riots are the No. 1 issue facing the university.

Prince George’s County Police remained largely silent, while University Police, administrators and city officials stressed that keeping students out of downtown College Park and on Fraternity Row would be vital but difficult.

County police spokesman Lt. Steven Yuen said police did not speak largely because they do not discuss tactics and because there is pending litigation regarding the post-Duke game riots.

University Police Chief Ken Krouse said he would endorse the idea of allowing fans to celebrate on Fraternity Row, but said it has been a problem keeping them there in the past.

During the Feb. 12 riots, Fraternity Row was lit, but revelers chose instead to flood into the city.

“It would be hard for us to keep them on the row,” Krouse said. “We also have a responsibility that if it gets out of control … we have another responsibility to the community.”

Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement said students were turned off from Fraternity Row in the past because of a heavy police presence, and others at the meeting said that police need to tone down their response to encourage students to remain there.

Police say keeping rioters off Route 1 is one of their main objectives. They closed the highway for about an hour after the Terrapins’ win over Duke and police arrested 14 people, half of whom were students.

Student Government Association President Aaron Kraus, who organized the meeting, said multiple times that the Greek Community needs to be an integral part of any postgame celebration so students would actually consider going.

“The Greek Community has the numbers, and has the cache, to put something successful on and get students,” Kraus said.

Clement said the university did extensive research on how other universities, such as Pennsylvania State and Michigan State universities, deal with postgame celebrations and thought Fraternity Row would be the best idea.

But Maj. Paul Dillon, a spokesman for the University Police, cautioned that the idea is not flawless.

“Crowds do not always behave as you expect them to,” he said.

Bret Cohen, president of the university’s chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said he went into the meeting prepared with questions from students who were angered with county police actions expecting to get answers.

“I received testimony from people who were prodded, even beaten, with batons,” Cohen said.

Though he said he understands why there was no discussion of previous riots, he said there are some issues that need to be addressed for future celebrations to work.

“Students should be allowed to congregate on the sidewalk, which wasn’t allowed last time,” he said.

Arlen Marmel, a senior American studies major and one of the students who proposed Fraternity Row as a venue, said students will likely accept the celebrations as a tradition.

“The minds of students are very fickle and they are very willing to accept traditions as they come up,” he said.

Interfraternity Council President Brian Novell said they will ask student radio station WMUC 88.1 FM to help with postgame celebrations by playing upbeat music such as Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” for two hours following any sports win.

He also considered having inflatable mascots from the opposing teams’ schools to be destroyed during a celebration.

State Sen. John Giannetti (D-Anne Arundel and Prince George’s) said varying the celebration after every game would work best, while College Park Mayor Stephen Brayman said he wanted assurance that the sanctioned celebrations would be exciting enough to keep students there.

“[There] needs to be some edge to some type of celebration, because that’s what kids want nowadays,” Brayman said.