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National Championship Celebration on State Street

UK won its 8th National Championship on Monday, April 2, 2012, beating Kansas 67-59. Fans on State Street in Lexington celebrated by cheering, dancing, shooting off fireworks, and burning small objects and couches. Thousands of fans flooded the intersection of State and Elizabeth streets.

Storified by Rachel Aretakis · Tue, Apr 03 2012 13:57:48

State Street celebrationsCelebrations on State Street in Lexington went on for hours Saturday, after UK defeated the University of Louisville in the Final Four. F…

Here is how the night unfolded, starting from the beginning of the game.

Lexington is not bringing in the National Guard, UK officials said. #BBNRachel Aretakis

An ambulance with sirens just turned down #StateStreetRachel Aretakis

A male was just taken away in an ambulance on State St, but there were no sirens #StateStreet http://pic.twitter.com/hhqwRTuQRachel Aretakis

an earlier photo I took. #StateStreet is relatively calm. Doors are open w/ people watching inside. Only one big party http://pic.twitter.com/fmG80a8IRachel Aretakis

Definitely not as many people, but fans are out celebrating during halftime. #bbn #statestreet http://pic.twitter.com/Q8skEDSdRachel Aretakis

Houses have fun decorations on #statestreet #bbn http://pic.twitter.com/eJeDDT2RRachel Aretakis

A woman just flashes the crowd on #StateStreet and fans erupted in cheers.Rachel Aretakis

Not sure if you can hear this, but fans are cheering http://soundcloud.com/raretakis/sounds-from-monday-nightRachel Aretakis

People still crowded on Sate though the game is still on.Rachel Aretakis

http://pic.twitter.com/dwIUBBU5Rachel Aretakis

Fire crackers just went off on the corner of Elizabeth and State #BBNRachel Aretakis

Another woman just flashed the crowd on #StateStreet crowd erupted in cheers. And, more fire crackers #BBNRachel Aretakis

3 arrests on Conn TerraceRachel Aretakis

Fireworks are going off. People are cheering CATSRachel Aretakis

Lots of media with video cameras on #StateStreetRachel Aretakis

Crowd chanting once again for women to flash them. I hear bottles crunching as people walk to get better views. #bbn http://pic.twitter.com/mePTc9t3Rachel Aretakis

The crowd just started a fire close to intersection of State and Elizabeth. #bbnRachel Aretakis

If you can see it, the police just put out the fire http://pic.twitter.com/bqU4U7N3Rachel Aretakis

Police are observing the madness on State Street. http://pic.twitter.com/gxlRw18HRachel Aretakis

Beer is flying everywhere on the corner of State and University #bbn #NCAAchampionship #NCAARachel Aretakis

Fans are storming #StateStreet and the crow has erupted in cheers. People are high-fiving and dancing #bbn #NCAAchampionshipRachel Aretakis

Fans are coming to #StateStreet from Conn Terrace and University. People are going crazy and taking photos #bbnRachel Aretakis

Definitely more people than on Saturday. Fans have completely flooded #statestreet and fireworks are going off http://pic.twitter.com/2PPuhi2fRachel Aretakis

So many fans are hugging and crying. Relatively peaceful celebrations. It isn’t cops whistling, it’s fans with whistles #bbnRachel Aretakis

Fans are high fiving police. #bbn #NCAAchampionshipRachel Aretakis

The whole intersection of Elizabeth and State is flooded. People keep coming. Stop signs uprooted. #bbn http://pic.twitter.com/ToM4eElpRachel Aretakis

#bbn #statestreet #ncaa http://pic.twitter.com/sk9vUVZjRachel Aretakis

More fireworks. Its like the Fourth of July for the Big Blue Nation #marchmadness #NCAAchampionship #UK #bbnRachel Aretakis

And a firework just malfunctioned and exploded in a crowd. People definitely got hit and police quickly cleared people away #bbnRachel Aretakis

Even more women being lifted on top of people’s shoulders flashing the crowd. I’ve lost count #bbnRachel Aretakis

I think there is a fire down State closer to the hospitalsRachel Aretakis

Not sure how the fire truck I backing up in #StateStreetRachel Aretakis

A fan is twirling a burning shirt in the middle of #StateStreet #BBNRachel Aretakis

People sliding in mud. Some minor injuries due to broken glass.Rachel Aretakis

Fans have moved on from burning couches and cars, and now burning small objects such as shirts and beer boxes #bbn #NCAAchampionship #UKRachel Aretakis

At least it’s not a car. And, the one on the right just fell #statestreet http://pic.twitter.com/YH8aUf9ERachel Aretakis

Stone Cold Willow’s cardboard face has made an appearance #bbn #NCAARachel Aretakis

A police officer estimates that roughly five thousand people are here at #StateStreet #KENTUCKY #NationalChampions #bbnRachel Aretakis

Fans are posing for camera crews. They are speaking in Twitter talk http://pic.twitter.com/bxqproLJRachel Aretakis

Another firetruck making its way through the crowd by Elizabeth #StateStreetRachel Aretakis

The truck is completely surrounded by people http://pic.twitter.com/dhWv2XPgRachel Aretakis

Hearing fans ask for pictures with police, then listening to the many excuses why they can’t #bbn #StateStreet #NCAAchampionshipRachel Aretakis

Police are pushing the crowd back to make room for the fire truck. One man is in handcuffs in the street http://pic.twitter.com/nm93RUlORachel Aretakis

My new sounds: Fans cheering “blue” and “white” on State http://soundcloud.com/raretakis/fans-cheering-blue-and-white on #SoundCloudRachel Aretakis

I think a bottle just hit the fire truck #StateStreetRachel Aretakis

The firetruck leaving the scene http://pic.twitter.com/DmjBp5xfRachel Aretakis

Compared with Saturday, the crowd is gathering closer to Elizabeth. Definitely no car flippings bc none were on the street #bbn #lexingtonRachel Aretakis

Police just pepper sprayed a crowd of people on #StateStreet and people scatteredRachel Aretakis

People posted up on the hills watching others get arrested. It’s like wrestle mania as police run down hills to get the trouble makersRachel Aretakis

The crowds has definitely dispersed and not as many people on #StateStreet but there are small fires popping up #bbnRachel Aretakis

Another fire put out #bbn http://pic.twitter.com/4yFLbZvIRachel Aretakis

Scanner: Man down after shots fired near Limestone/Virginia.Kentucky Kernel News

S Limestone is pretty busy with people walking to and from State #LexingtonKY #bbnRachel Aretakis

Re: shooting: Male fired 7 to 8 shots at two other males before fleeing; one victim (status unknown). Shooting occurred at approx. 2:11 a.m.Kentucky Kernel News

PHOTO: Update on S. Limestone shooting. Photo by Mike Weaver #BBN #Lexington http://pic.twitter.com/r0abF888Kentucky Kernel News

Campus is alive. It’s like everyone is walking home from class. #Lexington is not sleeping tonight #bbn #NCAAchampionsRachel Aretakis

To those following tonight’s action, I’m back at the Kernel helping get the paper out. We’ve still go reporters out there, so stay tunedRachel Aretakis

Street cleaner arrives to start cleaning up debris #bbnRachel Aretakis

Though it is 5am and fans are probably still celebrating, you can see tomorrow’s Kernel (or I guess today’s) here http://50.63.25.108/2012/04/02/kernel-in-print-april-3-2012/ #BBNRachel Aretakis