After the Boston Red Sox won the World Series Championship this year, the Boston Police Department was proud of how Bostonians celebrated safely, but surprisingly, the Keene Police Department might not say the same about some Keene State College students.
Unfortunately for KSC, the actions of a few students inaccurately portrayed what Sox fans in New Hampshire are all about, misrepresenting the true Sox spirit.
Early Thursday morning, on October 31, BPD’s Twitter account read, “#BPD thanks the tens of thousands of great #Redsox fans who showed #BostonPride & #CelebratedResponsibly.” Since there were riots in the past when the Sox won the series, BPD anticipated chaos and continued to tweet through the night of the World Series win into the morning. Of course, they made a few arrests.
Given that tens of thousands of people were in the city, I’m not that surprised. It seems that BPD was pleased with the little incidents that happened.
Though no KSC students were arrested the evening following the Sox victory, plenty of students contributed to a riot that was not only an embarrassment to the college and community alike, but embarrassing to the fans of Boston.
I haven’t spoken to any Boston residents since the uproars in Plymouth State, University of New Hampshire and KSC, but I’m sure they would be just as disappointed as the Keene community—if not more.
As I scrolled through my Facebook newsfeed after and prior to the win, the photograph comments on the Boston Red Sox Facebook page caught my eye.
Many people asked their fellow Sox fans to remember to stay classy, remember the city they represent and stay safe. As I scanned through the comments, I crossed my fingers and suddenly became a bit anxious as I wondered—will KSC be safe?
I found it interesting that many of the students who posted about “celebrating” and storming Keene streets were not even Sox fans to begin with—they usually rooted for opposing teams. From what I could gather, a good number of those celebrating seemed to just join the crowd because it was the thing to do—it was a reason to drink, a reason to shout and run around.
It is my belief that true Sox fans watched the whole game in its entirety and showed their spirit through a few shouts of victory, but also showed respect for their surroundings.
Maybe they paraded on Winchester Street and through campus. But how is it that I heard more about riots in Keene, New Hampshire than in Boston?
How is it that a small city, essentially in the middle of the woods, seemed to show more negativity in the news than the people who poured out of Fenway Park and into the streets of Boston?
I suppose it is not that surprising. Though Boston fans are stereotypically known to be loud, obnoxious and rambunctious, I truly feel that nearly every Sox fan that evening proved to be harmless to their surroundings.
Nine individuals were arrested in Boston as of October 30, according to the BPD Twitter posts, for unruly behavior. Though the tweet doesn’t specify what that unruly behavior is, it is quite possible that if those who chose to vandalize their fellow KSC classmate’s S.U.V. are found, they will specifically be charged with vandalism—and I would say that’s far more than just “unruly” behavior in Keene.
As a Sox fan myself, not only am I embarrassed by the rioting that took place in Keene, but extremely angry at how poorly the behavior at KSC after the World Series win made Sox fans look.
Congratulations, we once again made our support of our “beloved hometown team” look absurd and reckless. Whether or not people realize it, the actions of sports fans can reflect a team—and in this case, we did not represent the Sox as they deserve to be represented.
I sincerely apologize to the Boston Red Sox and my beloved city of Boston. You didn’t deserve to have your victory and hard work tainted.
Brittany Ballantyne can be contacted at bballantyne@keene-equinox.com