A massive food fight erupted between Cal High and Monte Vista students at In-N-Out Burger in San Ramon last month after the two schools faced each other in basketball.

This was not the first incident in which a food fight broke out between both of these schools. There was a similar kerfuffle after Cal beat Monte Vista at the Mustang’s homecoming football game on Oct. 18.

Since then, In-N-Out’s staff has taken precautionary measures to try to prevent ruckuses like this from happening again.  Nonetheless, a fight ensued after the basketball game between Cal and Monte Vista in January.

Upon arrival at In-N-Out after the game on Jan. 10, both schools were met by San Ramon Police cars that were monitoring the parking lot along San Ramon Valley Boulevard, and the public parking lot across the street from the fast food restaurant, ready to intervene if problem arose.

The tension between the two sides, though, began earlier after the first tip-off of the game.

Several spectators, including Cal junior Ilan Izakov, said throughout the duration of the game Cal students hurled insults like “spoiled brats” and “STDs,” referencing a rumored outbreak of STDs at Monte Vista, across the court.

They said Monte Vista students responded with gestures like holding their wallets in the air and calling Cal students “ratchets,” a slang word that has come to encompass the meaning of ghetto or stupid.

“On the court, Cal kids were yelling that they beat us in football, which was irrelevant,” said Monte Vista senior Sharzad Attaran. “Then, off the court, they were yelling rude things in the parking lot.”

According to Izakov, after the game, some Cal students made a human tunnel outside the court for the Monte Vista kids to walk through, and as Monte Vista students walked through the tunnel, a mob of Cal students hurled profanities at them.

“It almost led to a fight,” said Cal junior Matt Snyder. “There was just this loud, angry mob of students.”

The mob at Cal eventually dissolved but later regrouped at In-N-Out. Most of the students who were present described the restaurant and its vicinity as being in a state of pandemonium.

“At In-N-Out, Cal students inside started banging on the windows and standing on tables and throwing food,” said Attaran. “The employees there had to yell at them to stop.”

According to Izakov, the In-N-Out employees weren’t allowing the entire mob of over one hundred students in at once.

“They were only letting in about 30 or so people at a time,” continued Snyder.

This lockout of students is thought of by some as the reason for why a food fight happened right outside In-N-Out’s doors.

“The food fight started with people being locked out of In-N-Out by the cops, and we [Monte Vista students] all gathered outside on the right side of the door, and the left side had all the Cal kids,” said Monte Vista junior Kevin Velo. “The fight started with a Cal kid throwing a water cup filled with ice and water to our side.”

Izakov said that heated words were being thrown from both sides, and that one cup of ice water instigated a chain reaction that led to multiple police cars having to escort everyone out of the parking lot. The police cars were vandalized by the food thrown in the process.

Principal Mark Corti made an announcement over the intercom to the whole school several days later, informing the student body as to what had happened, and how the school will try to prevent such catastrophes from happening again. Corti also said that Cal, Monte Vista, and San Ramon Valley High School gave their football and basketball schedules for the next season to In-N-Out so they’ll be prepared for any future food fights.

“I doubt there’ll be any more food fights this school year,” said Snyder. “There are no real sporting events left that are big or important enough to start a fight over.”

But this viewpoint is not shared by all.

“I have no idea how to avoid future conflicts like these because they happen spontaneously and for no reason whatsoever,” said Velo. “I 100% guarantee this will happen again.”

It is uncertain whether or not a food fight like this will happen again or for what cause, but school administrators are hopeful that they, along with San Ramon Police, can prevent one from happening again.

San Ramon Police could not comment on the ongoing investigation, but Corti said that administration has taken this very seriously and took the right steps to prevent future food fights.

“We had leadership send an apology to In-N-Out on behalf of the school,” said Corti. “We clarified to the 6th Man group what was considered as appropriate gametime behavior.”