6 Students Suspended After MSU Riot

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Six Michigan State University students involved in last weekend?s disturbances in East Lansing have been suspended from the university.

Their continued presence on campus raises clear issues of safety based on the acts for which they are charged, said Lee June, the vice president for student affairs said.

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Police early Sunday used tear gas to disperse a crowd at a large party near the campus of Michigan State University after fights broke out and officers were pelted with bottles and cans.

Police said in a statement that 3,000 to 4,000 people had gathered for the Cedar Fest party in East Lansing on Saturday night. Police said 52 people were arrested and 48 others ticketed for various offenses. More charges could be coming after police review videotape taken at the scene.

Some injuries to officers and people at the party were reported by police, but details weren't available. At a news conference Sunday, East Lansing police Chief Tom Wibert described the injuries as mostly cuts and bruises. Wibert said nearly all of the officers working the scene reported being struck by a flying object at some point during the night. Four small fires were reported and windows were smashed on two police vehicles.

Police said the crowd became increasingly unruly after 1 a.m.

Tear gas was fired after 2 a.m. after repeated loudspeaker warnings to leave were ignored, and the crowd had dispersed about an hour later. Police said about 80 officers from area jurisdictions worked to contain the crowd.

"I don't see how we could have dispersed the crowd without tear gas," Wibert said. He said the gas was used as a last resort and that officers showed restraint throughout the night.

Police said many of the troublemakers weren't Michigan State students. Of the 52 people arrested, 28 had been identified as university students. They could face charges ranging from disorderly conduct to inciting a riot.

Wibert said police initially only used loud, smoking munitions without the burning effect of tear gas to try to get the crowd to leave, but only about half dispersed. At that point, he said, tear gas was used.

The city and Michigan State University on Friday had warned people to stay away from the planned event, which was an attempt to revive an East Lansing party tradition that had been ended because of past problems.

The warning came following reports that the social networking Web site Facebook was being used to promote the event at Cedar Village, a student housing complex bordering the northeast side of campus.

June said the students will be suspended until the resolution is solved.

June said so far 11 students have been referred by MSU Police to the judicial system for allegedly violating the university student disorderly conduct policy provision which says, ?Michigan State University students shall not engage in disorderly conduct at or in connection with a riot.?

Of the 11 referred, seven already have been reviewed for possible interim suspension.

Of those seven, six were notified of their suspensions and the other one was ruled out for temporary suspension. June said the remaining four students referred are also being reviewed for possible temporary suspensions.

Additionally, other students not yet referred will be subject to the same process. Referrals can come from the MSU Police or any other member of the MSU community.