Over 100 People Arrested at Drunken Spring Break Riot From Hell

Dozens were hospitalized and over 100 people were arrested after all hell in its fiery and brimstoney glory broke loose at a spring break party near University of California at Santa Barbara. This is the stuff of nightmares.

Around 15,000 people (first mistake) attended the annual all-day “Deltopia” party where, at 9:30pm, violence erupted when a university officer was struck by a backpack containing bottles of alcohol. From there, shit got fucking real. Law enforcement deemed the situation an “unlawful assembly” and took to some extreme (or probably just appropriate?) measures to disperse the crowd. Via USA Today:

“KEYT-TV reported that there were two stabbings before the melee broke out.

The station said officers used tear gas, pepper spray, flash-bang grenades and foam projectiles to control the crowd while taking cover behind emergency vehicles. Santa Barbara sheriff’s deputies used an armored SWAT vehicle.”

SWAT!? I sort of had this glamorized idea that SWAT teams were only reserved to deal with hostage situations and French drug lords and something about Collin Farrell, but I now realize that the government definitely has a “Deal With Drunks Deafened by Awful EDM Remixes of Already Terrible Songs” budget for crises like this. Well, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department was just as bewildered and disappointed in the whole situation as anyone:

“Our community is in shock today over what happened last night,” Kelly Hoover, spokeswoman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, said. “It’s unbelievable to see people throwing rocks, bricks and bottles and beer cans at law enforcement officers.”

It’s shit like this that justifies my refusal to go to music festivals. I just have a life-long distrust of large volumes of people, alcohol, and a designated time period of perceived freedom from obligation. So no fucking thank you, Spring Break.