The 25 Biggest College Campus Riots of All Time

Can we all just get along?

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Your uncle wasn't lying when he said one of the greatest joys of his college years involved banding together with friends to hurl rocks at the authorities. And maybe burn a couch or two.

Make no mistake, campus riots have been a phenomenon for pretty much as long as colleges have existed. Don't believe us? Consider this: Student protests at the University of Paris in 1229 led to the school's closing for more than two years. Of course, riot gear and tear gas have entered the picture in more recent centuries, ensuring that an episode of that magnitude never occurs again.

Nonetheless, the trend of student unrest has persisted well into the new millennium, wreaking havoc on the American university system in a number of infamous ways.

Whether over tough sports losses, in support of a political causes, or just because 10,000 students felt like tearing shit up one day (read: frustrated Penn State students), these are the 25 Biggest College Campus Riots of All Time.

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25. Tennessee Students Riot Upon Coach's Departure

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24. Purdue Students Take a Loss Too Hard

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23. Jackson Police Open Fire on Protesters

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22. Wisconsin Students Protest Napalm Manufacturer's Visit

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21. UW students Set Seattle ablaze

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20. Ole Miss Students Protest Obama's Re-election

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19. U of O Turns Into a War Zone

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18. Drinking Ban Leads to Rage

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17. St. Patty's Day Parade Becomes Violent

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16. Maryland Students Burn the Trees

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15. Columbia Students Protest Recreation Center

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14. Power Outage Leads to Melee in Seattle

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13. Penn State Fans Freak Out Over Paterno's Dismissal

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12. The First Black Student at Alabama

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11. Occupation of Sproul Hall

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10. Berkeley Riots Inspire Later Movements

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9. National Guard Members Kill War Protesters at Kent State

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8. Celebration Goes Awry at Iowa State

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7. Ole Miss Students Protest James Meredith's Enrollment

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6. College Fest Turns Violent

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5. Maryland Riots After Loss to Duke

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4. Ohio State Fans Rush Streets Following Championship Berth

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3. Pandemonium in Maryland for the NCAA Championship

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2. Michigan State Fans Mob After Loss

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1. Kentucky Students Flood Lexington Streets to Celebrate

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