Posted: 11/12/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Adam Babcock A crowd of Illinois football fans celebrate the 28-21 victory against No. 1-ranked Ohio State on Green Street, Saturday. Both eastbound and westbound traffic was shut down between Wright and Fifth streets as students paraded from Campustown bars to Memorial Stadium.

Following the Illini football team's victory over Ohio State - the program's first win against a No. 1-ranked team since 1956 - a crowd of approximately 400 to 500 students gathered near the Alma Mater statue on the corner of Green and Wright streets. Several students climbed onto the statue as those on the ground cheered, sang and chanted "Ill ... ini." Others sprayed champagne over the crowd.

The crowd funneled into Green Street and continued west, stopping temporarily in front of Gameday Spirit, 519 E. Green St., at the intersection of Sixth and Green streets. Several of the revelers picked up a plastic construction barrel that had been placed on the street to redirect traffic around ongoing construction and began tossing it in the air.



Though the celebrations closed down traffic on Green Street for about 15 minutes, University and Champaign police reported no arrests had been made on campus by Sunday afternoon in connection with the impromptu rally or entry of Memorial Stadium, Saturday.

A large portion of the crowd in the street began running west on Green Street past a University Police squad car that had been blocking traffic.

Some of the cheering students made their way down Fourth Street toward the football stadium. Many were screaming or making noise with cans as yielding motorists honked horns.

Approximately 100 people continued to Memorial Stadium and entered the field and about 10 had climbed the goal posts when officers arrived, said University Police Sgt. Aaron Fredrick.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools

The Daily Illini encourages on-topic discussion through article commenting on its articles and blogs. It is our policy not to delete any comments based upon political or ideological point of view. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are abusive, off-topic or use excessive foul language.

The posting of copyrighted material, including any and all content for which you are not the author, is illegal under Federal intellectual property laws. Such activity will not be tolerated. Comments containing copyrighted material will be removed, and continued violation of copyright law is grounds for being banned completely from commenting on DailyIllini.com.

If you feel any post meets these conditions or merits review, please e-mail our editors at meonline@dailyillini.com.