In two single-file lines, police officers raced up to demonstrators, dragging them away one-by-one and placing their hands in zip ties to keep them restrained.
Protesters continued to scream in windy weather as officers arrested them and took their mugshots.
This was not a group of workers fighting for a new contract or a better benefits package - they were members of the MSU community, acting as rioters and protesters to help police officers during their Small Squad Tactics training program.
Friday marked the last day of the training, in which officers from local and Big Ten university police departments came to learn maneuvers on how to deal with civil disturbances.
The participants included the Ingham County Sheriff's Department and the Lansing, East Lansing and MSU police departments, as well as other local agencies and Big Ten university police departments, including the University of Michigan and Purdue University police departments.
"We're training other departments, and they go back and train their officers," said MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor.
Funded by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security, instructors taught police and officials the most affective concepts in dealing with anti-war riots, mass arrests, decontamination and other civil disorder issues through real-life scenarios.
Although the tactics might not be used on a daily basis, officials said the training is still valuable.
"It's not every day that you have a riot or civil matter of that nature," said State Police Operations Lt. Jerry Conners. "But the training is valuable in helping prepare for it, because they are so infrequent."
This was the first time the training was held at MSU, and officials said it was necessary.
"We've applied for this training to be held here because we have a history of these events (riots and demonstrations) happening," MSU police detective Lt. Doug Monette said.
After the MSU men's basketball team lost to Duke in the Final Four on March 27, 1999, a riot erupted that caused $250,000 in damage and resulted in 132 arrests.
In 2003, about 30 revelers were arrested during the March 28-30 disturbances that caused $40,000 in damage to campus and East Lansing property.
"We just want to make sure we're dealing with the issues on the front end and make sure they don't happen again," Monette said.
