Penn State Students Take To The Streets, Chant Support For Paterno

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- Hundreds of Penn State students have taken to the streets to chant their support for ousted football coach Joe Paterno.

The students flooded downtown State College on Wednesday night after Paterno and university President Graham Spanier were fired amid a growing furor linked to their handling of sex abuse allegations against a former assistant football coach.

The students gathered about two blocks from the campus, with some chanting `We want Joe! We want Joe!" Some shook a lamp post and others tipped over a news van (video below), kicking out its windows.

A smaller crowd gathered outside Paterno's home. He had earlier in the day announced his intention to retire at the end of the season. After his firing, he told student he would have to get used to not being the coach.

PHOTOS:

Comments

[Marissa Ryan Cerone]

11:25 PM on 12/04/2011

This makes me so disappointed in people...priorities, guys. Come on.

[lyndoncjersey]

12:47 AM on 11/15/2011

The college is worthless and so are the students. This is the same college where students dressed up as victims of the Virginia Tech shooting for Halloween years ago. Disgrace.

[ElaineOO]

07:32 PM on 11/13/2011

Another comment, the state should force this college to pay for the channel 2 van that was overturned, the telephone lamp that was destroyed and all other damages that took place.

[ElaineOO]

07:30 PM on 11/13/2011

This is very, very sickening. A number of children are scared for life, but the priority is with football. I really question the values this school promotes to the students. I wouldn't want to attend this college, even if I could pay full.

[molly29451]

03:15 PM on 11/12/2011

This is just another example of the entitlement generation. They protest the firing of a coach who knew about 'the creep', but don't care about the actual crime done against the victims.

IMHO, it is the parents' fault for not teaching their children values and giving in to their every whim. The professors at the universities are pretty liberal so they just extend the problem.

And these are our future leaders. God help our country.

[BloUrHausDown]

06:29 PM on 11/11/2011

All must genuflect before the Almighty God of Football! Not much else really matters in America.

[bleek8000]

12:22 PM on 11/11/2011

while students at Berkeley are getting their ribs broke fighting for justice for all, students at Penn State are rioting in mass for a man who protected a child rapist?? Lol, it's all about the football my simple students of Penn.

[Jeffery Maurer]

11:39 AM on 11/11/2011

How is the Penn State story any different than the Cain sexual abuse story? The reason I believe they are similar is this is typical of how men get away with sexual abuse. They are in a position of power over their victims, who are afraid or feel powerless to do anything about the abuse. Obviously, Cain deserves his day in court; however, it may not happen because of the threat from his lawyers of retaliation. The women in question here are in the their 50's, mature and surely do not want to be in the spotlight they are now in. I applaud their bravery and hope they standup for their rights not to be abused. Cain's arrogant responses to the public in defense of himself speak also to his insensitivity, especially in light of calling House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Princess Nancy, which is not only disrespectful, but also speaks to Cain's derogatory and insulting attitude towards women in general. While some might not connect Cain and his behavior to Penn State matter, but if you think about it, there are definite comparisons to those in power over others, taking advantage and belittling them by abusive behavior, which is not becoming of their station in life or where they aspire to be as a leader of the free world.

[boston33]

11:37 AM on 11/11/2011

Its horrifying, they are not just students, they are our next generation of adults. This is why rape and sexual assault is so wide spread. Just look at the NFL, raping women is just part of the package with this sport.

Also,
So if you stand in the wrong place at an OWS protest you get gassed, sprayed, and beaten, but if your a student flipping over cars in support of child rape your a okay?

[KDMac]

10:37 AM on 11/11/2011

I know an officer who used up all his pepper spray there Wednesday night.

[Leon Holston Sr]

10:21 AM on 11/11/2011

how can this guy be supported for what he did are you kidding me?sounds like the guy in the oval office with a minor and a mayor who cheated on his wife and is still in office.but lets hang cain with old unfounded allegations.why come out now?where are the police reports

[dfstone]

09:49 AM on 11/11/2011

They should burn that school to the ground. Instead of supporting the victims, the students there support a child rapist and the people who covered it up. If not burn it down, every business in America should make a pledge never to hire any graduates from that school.

[lambdin1]

08:35 AM on 11/11/2011

Mob mentality! What is being taught to these students?!? Parents you are respondsible for your children! You did not teach values very well! It is not the respondsiblity of the university to teach values!! Jerks! Students and their parents!!! I shutter to think that these young people are going out into our society!

[cucumber]

03:10 AM on 11/11/2011

If I see Joe, the Penn ex-president, or any of those old guys getting abused I'll be sure to turn my head.

[KDMac]

10:40 AM on 11/11/2011

It's Penn State, not Penn (University of Pennsylvania).

[RenaissanceMom]

02:06 AM on 11/11/2011

At least in China, there was outrage when they realized that their society had descended into a place where a little girl could die after get run over twice like a dog in the street while 18 people did nothing to help. Where is the collective rage at Penn State that such a thing could happen to children on campus and people they knew and respected didn't intervene? Where are the tears for the victims? Where are the tears for the betrayal of the values of PSU? It's insanity. This cult of Joe Pa is a bit scary. Fortunately, the alumni seem to have some sense and have set up a fund for the victims. Doesn't help the image though. Sheesh.