From Marsh Plaza to the Boston Common, thousands of students paraded down Commonwealth Avenue early Monday morning chanting “USA!” and “Yes we did!” in celebration of President Barack Obama’s announcement that U.S. special forces had killed Osama bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda and mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks.
Students, many who were waving American flags and using vuvuzelas, began heading to Marsh around midnight, then marched toward the Boston Common.
Police officials said that by 12:30 a.m., 1,500 people had crowded Kenmore Square before setting off to the Common.
As the students marched down Comm. Ave., BPD squad cars blocked off side streets and followed closely behind the crowd.
“We want the crowd to remain peaceful and out of the streets,”said BU Police Department Sgt. Michelle Fotev.
By 1:30 a.m., 4,000 people rallied on a darkened Common at the Parkman Bandstand, Boston Police Department officials said.
Hundreds of students crowded the rotunda, some hanging off of its columns or on its railings, waving American and military flags. Rally-goers sang the national anthem, as others crowd surfed and tossed around beach balls.
Students said they flocked to the streets and downtown Boston for many reasons, some citing patriotism while others were just enthusiastic about joining in on the rally.
“I think its great that everyone can come together like this, it’s such a happy occasion,” said Alex Barber, a 19-year-old BU freshman.
“I think it’s both,” Barber said when asked whether he thought the crowd was reveling in Bin Laden’s death or just showing their American pride.
“We’re celebrating that we are finally doing something in this war, not just Osama’s death,” said College of Arts and Sciences freshman Sara Close, while walking to the Common. “It’s been almost 10 years.”
“Longest f—–g 10 years of my life,” said Massachusetts Institute of Technology student Brett Boval.
Boval wasn’t too sure why so many students had flooded the streets.
“Part of me thinks that it’s a Sunday night and people have homework they want to get out of, but at the same time I think it’s better that college-aged kids are here celebrating the USA than off doing stupid stuff,” he said.
“I think that’s why the cops are respecting us, just following behind us, instead of putting people into paddy wagons.”
Boval said he and his MIT friends walked from Beacon Street to Kenmore Square to see what students were doing and continued to the Common.
“It’s interesting to see everyone united,” said College of General Studies sophomore Chris Bryson. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen BU so patriotic.”
Others, like CAS freshman Kelly McHugh, were more pessimistic about celebrating someone’s death. But McHugh also said that she thought many of the students just wanted to show their patriotism.
McHugh said she was only in fourth grade at the time of the 9/11 attacks.
“I remember just being confused, and just seeing it on TV…I was in awe,” she said.
Boval said he remembered witnessing the attacks from the other side of the country.
“I was in sixth grade. I’m from Southern California so I didn’t really know anyone that was in New York, but at the same time I distinctly remember talking about it at the bus stop about what this meant and if we were going to go to war with whoever these people were.”
Staff writers Chris Gambon and Suzanne Schiavone contributed to the reporting of this article.
Rally-goers sing ‘Star Spangled Banner’ Video by John Sanderson, COM ’13
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Bin Laden was our boogie man. We’ve grown up in the shadow of the attacks of his organization, and now he’s gone. To see last night as a celebration of his death would be simplifying our experience. His death is a symbolic victory for all of us who lived hearing “terror,” “Al Qaeda,” and of course “Bin Laden”: We knew nothing else, and though his death may change little, many of us feel a sense of relief. I personally went out because I remember seeing the smoke from the towers from my neighborhood and fearing for family and friends. So of course there were those who misconstrued the celebration as one of a death and of American superiority, but you can’t pin a whole crowd with that.
A further issue is that video games are typically serious anyway with the major focus on understanding rather than enjoyment. Although, it has an entertainment element to keep your young ones engaged, each one game is generally designed to work on a specific experience or program, such as math concepts or research. Thanks for your article.