No arrests made during campus celebrations
A crowd of Illinois football fans celebrate the 28-21 victory over No. 1 ranked Ohio State on Green Street in Champaign, Ill., Saturday, Nov. 10, 2007. Traffic East and Westbound was shut down between Wright and Fifth Streets on Green as students paraded Erica Magda
November 9, 2007
Pedestrians flooded Green Street and entered Memorial Stadium after the Illinois football team’s victory over No. 1-ranked Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.
Anywhere from 400 to 500 people gathered at the Alma Mater at the corner of Wright and Green streets, said University Police Sgt. Aaron Fredrick.
The crowd then funneled into the street in front of Gameday Spirit, 519 E. Green St.
Several students picked up a plastic construction barrel that had been placed on the street to redirect traffic around ongoing construction and began tossing it in the air.
University and Champaign police officers shut down Green Street from Wright to Fifth Street for the safety of the pedestrians in the street, Fredrick said.
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A large portion of the crowd began running down Green Street toward Sixth Street past a University Police Department squad car that had been blocking traffic.
Illinois’ (8-3, 5-2 Big Ten)last win against a No. 1-ranked team came in 1956 and the program hasn’t defeated Ohio State since 2001.
Traffic was stalled while the crowd dispersed but had returned to normal flow as of 6:15 p.m.
Some of the cheering students made their way down Fourth Street toward the football stadium. Many were screaming or making noise with cans as yielding motorists honked their horns.
About 100 people continued to Memorial Stadium and entered the field and about 10 had climbed the goalposts when officers arrived, Fredrick said.
“I was hanging on the goal post, I see one flashlight and everyone runs, and I decide I’m not going to be left behind so I run too,” said Jamie Wood, sophomore in LAS who was inside the stadium. “I trip over some guy, I do a somersault and I get up and run.”
The field was not damaged and there were no arrests made.
“All were asked to leave the field and complied,” Fredrick said.
No arrests had been made by the University Police Department when a Daily Illini reporter spoke with Fredrick around 6:40 p.m. No representative from the Champaign Police Department was able to comment.
The University department will be stepping up patrols this evening and “ensuring everyone celebrates responsibly and safely,” Fredrick said.
Keep checking DailyIllini.com for updates on Campustown and a game wrap up this evening.
Patrick Wade contributed to this report
