Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Police show unnecessary roughness

With a record-breaking attendance of 56,743, UTSA’s inaugural game was capped with a finale seldom seen outside of championship games. Hundreds of Roadrunner fans poured out of the student section onto the field to celebrate the first game in the history of the university, an event of proportions never before sports experienced by the city of San Antonio.

Many of the fans were surprised by the unnecessary roughness some police officers showed while arresting UTSA students.

The San Antonio police department arrested eight students, amongst many, who rushed toward the players. Known as “Eight Runners,” the students were given criminal trespassing citations and $800 fines.

While none of the detainees decided to comment on their experience with the police because of pending court cases, many spectators considered some police officers to be vicious as performing their duty. These reports include a police officer hitting an already subdued student in the back of the head, while another smacked a student in the face as he was rushing to the players.

Ryan Stanley, also called “Rowdy Ryan” is perhaps, the best known detainee. With a Facebook page created by former SGA President, Derek Trimm, called “True Fan: The Tale of Rowdy Ryan,” Stanley is trying to raise funds for the legal defense of his peers, selling t-shirts and posters for the next game. “I’ll only say this: Interview the football players,” Stanley said. “They are the true heroes. You can quote me on that.”

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