Pumpkin Festival Riot Leaves Injuries, Arrests And Destruction

Jack-o'-lanterns wait to be set up for the Keene Pumpkin Festival on Friday Oct. 18, 2013, in Keene, N.H. Organizers of the annual festival are hoping to set a record Saturday for the most lit jack-o'-lanterns. The K... Jack-o'-lanterns wait to be set up for the Keene Pumpkin Festival on Friday Oct. 18, 2013, in Keene, N.H. Organizers of the annual festival are hoping to set a record Saturday for the most lit jack-o'-lanterns. The Keene festival has set a world record for the most lit pumpkins at least seven times. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) MORE LESS
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KEENE, N.H. (AP) — Officials in Keene have scheduled a news conference following violent parties near the New Hampshire city’s annual pumpkin festival that led to destruction, dozens of arrests and multiple injuries over the weekend.

City officials have scheduled a news conference for Monday afternoon at Keene City Hall, in the City Council Chambers.

The parties around Keene State University coincided with the Keene Pumpkin Festival, at which the community tries to set a world record of the largest number of carved and lighted jack-o-lanterns in one place. The violence prompted police in riot gear to use tear gas as they tried to control the crowds.

College students cleaned up the area Sunday.

Gov. Maggie Hassan called on the state’s colleges and universities to “take swift action to hold students involved accountable.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Notable Replies

  1. All trick and no treat.

  2. Avatar for palli palli says:

    While peaceful and non-violent Ferguson protestors continue the hardwork of keeping the spotlight on the paid vacation of Darren (Killer) Wilson and the abuses of white power government in greater St Louis real riots destructive playtime happens in New Hampshire. Yesterday Ferguson twitters had some comic relief laughing at the absurdity of white privilege.

    A telling tweet comes from the journalist Kevin Gosztola at Firedoglake:
    “People of Keene have truly discredited the #UpForWhatever movement. They went too far for me.”

    But later in the day Sunday at the Rams game, Ferguson protestors were assaulted: a gun was pulled on them, they were spit upon, an American flag was violent pulled out of a woman’s hands…and the non-violent protestors were arrested.

    Real life isn’t a pumpkin festival.

    As one protester said: “Let me know when a white person tweets that burning and destroying property isn’t going to bring those pumpkins back.”

  3. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    “violent parties … destruction …multiple injuries’
    City officials …news conference… police in riot gear …tear gas”

    I’m just not feelin’ it.

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