It started late Thursday night as an anniversary celebration of last year’s spring fever “riots” at Towers.

It snowballed into a full-fledged riot early this morning, including a storm on The Knoll and a mass gathering at the intersection of Welch Avenue and Lincoln Way.

Thousands of Iowa State students ran through campus and Campustown streets, shouting “Fuck dry Veishea” and tearing down street signs, trash cans and newspaper containers in their path.

The rally started about 10:30 p.m. outside Towers Residence Association in the commons area.

James Dunaway, junior in pre-business, said he was a part of the small group of residents that was involved in the rally at its start.

“It didn’t start out against Veishea,” Dunaway said. “I think the big thing was for unity.”

The growing mass of people didn’t stay in one central location for long.

The crowd of students moved from Towers down Welch Avenue and began chanting “Fuck dry Veishea.” They stopped at Lake LaVerne before going to Friley and Helser halls to gather more students with the chant, “Join in, join in, join in.”

The group then marched across campus to the Richardson Court Association, cheering and beckoning people to join them.

“They were still collecting people,” said Brian Decker, sophomore in computer science and resident of Lyon Hall. Decker said members of the group were yelling out names of area residence halls in an attempt to attract more people.

The students continued to Maple-Willow-Larch, where they gathered more people, before heading back down Lincoln Way toward The Knoll.

At The Knoll, the group was met with Department of Public Safety, Ames Police and Story County Sheriff officers, who had followed the riot from its origination at Towers.

The officers guarded the main entrance and turned off the lights. The students congregated on the lawn of the Knoll, and one student climbed a light pole in the yard, shook it and held up two signs that read with the number “69” on them.

Several students mooned The Knoll, and one student also streaked across the street from The Knoll.

One student who had followed the group from the Memorial Union said the group was protesting the administration’s attitude toward students.

“We don’t like dry Veishea, and we don’t like being told what to do,” said Bryan Clarke, a sophomore in chemistry.

Peter Gregory, Towers resident and sophomore in liberal arts and sciences, agreed.

“I don’t think the administration understands that sometimes students just need a little attention,” he said.

Law enforcement officials arrived upon the scene after getting word from Department of Residence officials about the congregation outside Towers halls.

Angie Grengs, Towers resident and freshman in biology, said her resident assistant was the first person to call the police.

“Our resident assistant told us not to go down there, but because she said that, you know we had to go down,” she said.

While sitting outside on the front lawn of The Knoll to take a break, Dunaway said he was never afraid of getting in trouble.

“We really weren’t doing anything because it was before quiet hours,” he said.

Other students ignored the police and kept enjoying themselves.

“I’m out here to get silly,” said Kurt Mentzler, freshman in agricultural studies. “I’m drunk, and I want to get silly.”

The riot finally ended at the Campanile with a decreased crowd. The remaining participants started a bonfire in front of the Campanile, before police officers intervened.