An endless stream of more than 1,000 students poured through McAllister Street across College Avenue to Old Main several times last night carrying lit tiki torches and chanting responses to recent charges against former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Penn State President Graham Spanier was in his office at Old Main while students rallied on the steps chanting "F--- Graham Spanier" and "F--- Sandusky."
Spanier declined to comment on the students gathering when he exited the building around midnight.
Students gathered in protest of Penn State football coach Joe Paterno's possible call for resignation. The gathering, which began as a Facebook event, started at Beaver Avenue and continued to move locations as the night progressed.
"We are...Penn State" and "Hell no, Joe won't go" chants echoed through the night as students crowed surfed up the steps of Old Main and danced to "Zombie Nation" in Beaver Canyon.
"We have classes and exams to take but we love him" said student Nicole Atlak (freshman-crime law and justice) about Paterno. "He's an icon."
Student Charles Brunner felt the same adding that lack of sleep wasn't going to make a difference.
"This is Penn State right here," said Brunner (senior-turfgrass science). "Something like this isn't gonna bring the whole school down. We're gonna stay up, and Penn State's a great school."
Pa. State police troopers were armed with tear gas in Beaver Canyon in addition to the State College police force.
Police forced students out of the streets.
"Move off of the sidewalk, the rest of your Penn State brethren ruined tonight for you," said State College Police Lt. Bradley Smail to students standing on the sidewalk of Beaver Avenue.
The entire lower level of McAllister Street parking deck was filled with police cars.
Originally, the gathering moved to Old Main because the police were being aggressive said student Sarah Caskie who said she attended the riot to take a stand against President Graham Spanier.
"They shoved me. They wouldn't even let me get my phone out of the street," Caskie (freshman-communications) said. "They were being rude."
Fellow Penn State student Alex Hipple said despite the bad press surrounding Penn State, it's important that students show they still have something to be proud of.
Hipple (freshman-political science), along with friends, said the crowd was "rowdy" and that police wanted them off Beaver Avenue.
Police maintained a presence as the gathering traveled between the two locations, with Penn State police guarding the doors to Old Main and maintaining student order along ledges.
After students dispersed from Old Main at about 11:30 p.m. more than 1,000 people made the trek to Beaver Stadium. The police presence at Old Main and Beaver Stadium was minimal compared to police presence downtown.
As students made way from Old Main to Beaver Stadium, nearly empty Centre Area Transportation Association buses were nearly unable to turn from University Drive to Curtain Road due to the massive amount of students.
Students also expressed dissatisfaction with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett's proposed visit to Penn State and the rumors of his requested actions against the administration. Corbett is set to visit Penn State Friday and attend the Board of Trustees meeting.
"Tom Corbett wants to come to Penn State and call for all of them to resign, yet when all of this was going on, he was the attorney general and knew all about it," Max Gelernter (sophomore-political science) said. "If he wants to call for them to resign, he should go, too."
But many students said they were merely doing what Penn State would want them to do -- come out to support the school and to "do what's right," Casey Vandevere said.
"We want to finish out the season the way we should," said Vandevere (freshman-division of undergraduate studies.)
Alex Brown said she too came out to rally behind Paterno -- the strong, ringing presence throughout the excited crowd.
"We have to stick together if we're going to get through this," Brown (sophomore-biobehavioral health) said, after hearing about the event from her Twitter newsfeed. "Students need to prove that our opinions are not the same as the administration."
Collegian staff writers Christina Gallagher, Brittany Horn, Anna Orso, Stephen Shiflett, Mindy Szkaradnik and Chris Wright contributed to this report.
