Students take to the streets to cheer bin Laden's demise

Patriotic fervor swept through campus late Sunday night after news broke that U.S. Special Forces in Pakistan had killed Sept. 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden.

Hundreds of students, many clutching American flags and singing the national anthem, converged on The Green, forming a nearly three-hour impromptu parade that shut down Main Street, snaked through all parts of campus and culminated with dozens of revelers jumping into the Magnolia Circle fountain well past 2 a.m.

"It's amazing," senior Kate Welsh said while marching down Academy Street. "I'm so glad I could be a part of it."

Welsh and her roommates were in their apartment watching President Barack Obama make the live announcement about bin Laden's death on television when they heard chants of "USA! USA!" outside.

"We said, ‘What are we doing in here?' and got on our red, white and blue," Welsh said.

Media organizations first began reporting bin Laden's death just after 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Shortly after, Obama addressed the nation in a rare late-night speech from the East Room of the White House.

"Justice has been done," said Obama, who noted the terrorist leader was killed in a firefight with U.S. troops.

Moments after the president concluded his remarks, students began flocking to The Green dressed in patriotic garb. Others gathered at Main Street bars to toast the news, while some set off fireworks.

At Grotto Pizza, senior Alex Ramondini and three of his friends displayed a "Don't Tread on Me" flag while sipping beers.

"It's a good day in American history," Ramondini said.

Once the crowd grew, the marchers made several laps around The Green and Main Street, traveled to Laird Campus and past university President Patrick Harker's house, before stopping at the fountain in front of Morris Library. Along the way, the students stopped at least three times—on the steps of Memorial Hall and Old College Hall and at the intersection of Main and Academy Streets—to sing patriotic songs and yell chants of "USA! USA!" "Hey, hey, hey, goodbye," and "F— bin Laden."

Sophomore Kayla Iuliano pumped her fists in the air in front of Old College Hall, where students crowded on the steps bellowed patriotic songs.

"I just think it's incredible how much patriotism we can show," Iuliano said. "I've never seen everyone come together like this before. I just wonder what would happen in this country if we had as much love and compassion in this country everyday as we do today."

Sophomores Shaina Kosloff and Cristina Torres ran from their West Tower apartment at approximately 2 a.m. to join the rally of students.

"We were just sitting on Facebook, saw the mobile uploads and we were like, ‘We have to be part of this right now,'" Kosloff said, as she watched students frolic in the fountain.

The pair observed other students from Laird Campus sprinting alongside them, headed toward Central Campus. Kosloff and Torres joined the roving crowd at Harker's house on Kent Way, and followed it to the fountain.

Kosloff said the rally was a significant display of patriotism, and Torres agreed.

"It shows that people care, even if it's just for having a reason to party—party for a reason," Torres said.

Freshman Joe Bruno circled the fountain in his wheelchair as his friends jumped inside, splashing each other with chlorinated water. He said the atmosphere got his adrenaline pumping enough to follow the crowd all over campus.

"There's days where I can't do it, but today was just easy," Bruno said. "I just think it was great that everyone came together in support regardless of religious or political beliefs to remember that day 10 years ago."

Bruno said he was especially passionate about the celebration because his aunt Vincenza worked at the Twin Towers. She was on maternity leave at the time of the attack and was unharmed, he said.

Junior Sean Kane, a future Marine officer, stood on the perimeter of fountain at approximately 2:45 a.m., with a soaked American flag draped around his shoulders like a cape.

Kane said he and his friends, who live on South Chapel Street, first came to The Green to hang the American flag on Memorial Hall. They found the rally instead, and jumped into the fountain in celebration and unity with the crowd.

"Osama bin Laden only dies once, and so we only get one chance to celebrate in the big old f—ing fountain," Kane said.

Dozens of officers from Newark, university and state police departments were called in to manage the crowd, but the officers kept their distance and allowed the demonstrations to continue.

For the students, most of whom were in middle school when the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and Flight 93 killed nearly 3,000 Americans, the death of bin Laden provided some sense of relief.

"I think it's a really good success in the fight against terrorism, but Obama even said in his speech, it's kind of like we won the battle, but we haven't won the war yet," said senior Rebecca Kasman, who is from Long Island. "It is a good cornerstone to build towards a goal, but there are still terrorists out there."

Senior Ian McIntyre, a member of the Kappa Alpha fraternity, was in the library studying when he saw a web update from USA Today detailing bin Laden's slaying.

He and his friends wanted to speed to Washington, D.C. immediately, but instead grabbed the American flag hanging outside their fraternity house and started walking until they heard the voices of other students.

"I'm an American. I love my country," McIntyre said. "I have a few kids in our fraternity and one of my best friends from home—they've all done time in Fallujah, and I want to see them all safe. And hopefully this will make them safer."