ISD Editorial Board

Us vs. Them is a dangerous thing.

Next year’s Veishea might have to contend with that danger, and it’s up to the students, police and ISU officials to make sure the riot keg doesn’t explode — or is even delivered to Welch Avenue for that matter.

Saturday night’s incident on Welch Avenue has quickly devolved into a he said-she said battle between Ames police and ISU students.

Ames police said pepper spray was used on the people involved in two fights and that it was hard to differentiate between those fighting and those watching. Yet multiple students have come forward, each with a story saying they were targeted and sprayed by police simply for being in the area.

One of those stories was in Monday’s paper, more are coming.

There is no doubt the situation escalated quickly on Welch Avenue. Large numbers of students, alumni and visitors poured into the street just short of 2 a.m. as the bars closed. Most were drunk.

Was there a riot? No. Thank God or a well-run Veishea — as far as campus events, weather and music go — could have been our last. Ultimately, police cleared the streets and broke up the fights, and Dione Somerville, dean of students, and other ISU officials entered the area in an effort to keep us riot free. Thank you.

But the situation was just one thrown glass bottle by a drunken idiot from getting really out of hand. That many drunk people is dangerous. And that’s before you throw in the ill will created by a little pepper spray.

We might never know if the police properly handled the situation. It’s their word against the students.

But that’s the problem. One mishap helped foster Us vs. Them mentalities that need to be curtailed before Veishea 2010. Unfortunately, the people involved this year will remember the situation. And unfortunately many people felt wronged. Those feelings are too dangerous to leave breeding for an entire year.

An Ames police apology? Not quite sure they owe one. But they should at least address the issue. Police, please talk to the students who say they were wronged. ISU officials, don’t just say this was a small blip and keep repeating how wonderful Veishea was otherwise. It was, on campus. But the situation on Welch needs addressing.

Although ISU students were involved, you cannot solely plead with ISU students to be well behaved and responsible next year. It wasn’t just ISU students, it was people from all over.

So although this editorial is a call for ISU students to think twice about their behavior next year, it is just as much and even more a call for our leaders to lead. Get to the bottom of what happened this weekend, and be proactive with students next year.

We need to figure out a strategy to better deal with the mass of people on Welch at 2 a.m.. Staggered bar closings? A large police presence giving out free T-shirts (drunk people love free things)? Do anything to increase good will between students and police.

Us vs. Them is just too dangerous.