Riot police quell bedlam at New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival

Riot police quell bedlam at New Hampshire Pumpkin Festival
(Image credit: Instagram / Jason Harrington)

Police in riot gear used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse thousands of people who ran amok Saturday at the annual Pumpkin Festival in Keene, New Hampshire.

Police said a large crowd composed mainly of students grew unruly at the town's massive fall gathering, tearing up street signs, hurling bottles, and flipping at least one car. The event, which last year set a world record with 30,581 carved jack-lanterns in one place at the same time, attracts thousands of tourists from around the region every year.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.