KEENE, N.H. (AP) – Disturbances are continuing late into the night in Keene, New Hampshire, where an annual pumpkin festival erupted in mayhem and led to arrests and injuries.
Witnesses tell The Boston Globe (http://bit.ly/1vLdSzO ) police fired tear gas at hundreds of Keene State College students and others who had been throwing bottles, skateboards and rocks into the crowd. One witness blames heavy alcohol use at earlier parties.
WMUR-TV in Manchester (http://bit.ly/1yNA3qq ) showed footage of a crowd toppling over a car, people running from tear gas clouds and street signs being torn down. Police dressed in riot gear ordered crowds to disperse.
The parties were part of the Keene Pumpkin Festival, where the community tries to set a world record of the largest number of lighted jack-o-lanterns.
The exact numbers of injuries and arrests were not available.