Student riot brings damages, police to local VFW

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May 19, 2011

ANDREA VanVALKENBURG Press-Republican The Press Republican Thu May 19, 2011, 10:49 AM EDT

PLATTSBURGH — An evening of celebration turned violent earlier this month, ending with a riot, multiple arrests and significant damage at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post here.

The incident unfolded early May 8 after a group of about 300 Clinton Community College students and their acquaintances spent several hours at a private dance at Post 125 on Boynton Avenue.

FIGHT ESCALATES

At about 3 a.m., the crowd apparently erupted after two women started fighting.

Soon, the violence escalated into multiple scattered brawls, eventually moving into the parking lot in a massive riot, witnesses told the Press-Republican.

Plattsburgh City Police were called, responding with all possible help from its own department, State Police, Clinton County Sheriff's Department and Plattsburgh State University Police.

PEPPER SPRAY

Despite resistance by some bystanders, police were able to surround the unruly group and eventually break up the fights, using pepper spray to quell the violence.

By the time the ordeal ended, several people were injured and six were arrested on charges of obstruction of justice, disorderly conduct or resisting arrest, City Police Chief Desmond Racicot said Tuesday, after being contacted by the Press-Republican.

The injured were all treated at CVPH Medical Center and released that morning.

PRIVATE EVENT

Police were continuing to investigate the incident and said more charges could still be filed.

Officials said the dance was sponsored by individual students, not the college or any group affiliated with it.

VFW Post 125, one of the oldest in the nation, is frequently rented by community groups and residents for gatherings but officials said they have never had anything like this happen.

"It's just disheartening," Post Commander Lanny LaValley said this week.

DAMAGES

He was contacted about the riot when it happened and was shocked by the aftermath he found.

The destruction included a broken window and furniture, damaged doors, toilets and sinks and blood dotting the post's brand-new carpets.

Most upsetting, LaValley said, was damage done to a commemorative plaque that honored the post's past commanders.

Making it even worse was that the post had just been partially gutted and underwent major repairs to fix problems left behind by water and snow.

"We just had all this work done this past winter, and now this," LaValley said.

"It certainly created problems for us, but we're trying to work it out."

Officials believe the rioters caused more than $1,000 worth of damage.

LaValley said he and others are working with police as the investigation continues and are trying to contact the person who booked the party to get reimbursed for the damages.

"This is like a place of worship for us veterans, and they stepped on our sacred ground and desecrated it."

Email Andrea VanValkenburg at: avanvalkenburg@pressrepublican.com