A chant of “We are Veishea” resonated from students scattered among the trees just before Veishea executive co-chairpersons Jessica Carlson and Nate Meier stood up on the makeshift park bench stage.

“Veishea has lasted so long because of people just like you that are out here today,” Carlson said.

More than 200 students gathered at Lake LaVerne Monday to discuss concerns about Sunday morning’s riot, but many students felt the important issues were not addressed.

“I expected more dialogue; we’re asking for explanations for the tactics of the city,” said David Stout, senior in management information systems.

The rally was organized by a number of concerned student groups, including Time for Peace, the Government of the Student Body and the Veishea Committee. The rally was organized by Time for Peace members Omar Tesdell, senior in journalism and mass communication, and Dan Fulton, senior in biology, because they believed there needed to be an adequate student response to the Sunday morning riot, said Ramsey Tesdell, sophomore in technical communication and Time for Peace member.

Stephen Shaner, senior in computer science, said he felt there was not much substance to the rally.

“It’s about getting as many student figures to apologize as much as possible,” Shaner said.

Shaner said he hoped to hear more about the actions of the police and the students, and not people reading from prepared statements.

Ben Bryden, junior in anthropology, held out a sign that said, “Keep police responsible for their actions.”

The riot on Sunday was disconnected from the spirit of Veishea, said Sophia Magill, GSB president. She said there needed to be ways to open new dialogue with administrators about the riot.

“It’s going to take all of us to step forward as a community,” she said.

She encouraged students to sign petitions protecting Veishea, write down concerns or complaints to the administration and city about the handling of the riot and turn them into any of the groups present at the rally.

Josh Miltenberger, senior in construction engineering, said the riot was not a representative action of the students at the university.

“There was absolutely no reason for this,” Miltenberger said.

Miltenberger’s car was parked on Campus Avenue until rioters forced him to move it Sunday morning after a trash bin was lit on fire, he said.

Greg Bonett, sophomore in electrical engineering and Time for Peace member, said it was important students have an active dialogue with city and university officials about ways to resolve conflicts in a nonviolent manner.

“It was a small minority of students portraying violent acts, and it doesn’t represent us well,” he said.

There needs to be more ways of defusing situations without violence for Veishea to survive, he said.

Fulton said the rally was meant to get students to start a dialogue, not to point out the problems that caused the riot.

“It was meant to inspire others to act,” Fulton said.