A bottle throwing incident from earlier this week should have been a cautionary tale at New London High, an impetus to increase and improve security and ensure some police presence at sporting events.

Instead, it became an eerie reminder of George Santayana's familiar quote: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it."

The events of Thursday night at Conway Gym are almost inexplicable. Two days after the New London student section tossed several plastic beverage bottles at the St. Bernard students — one violently struck a kid in the head — the basketball game between New London and Fitch ended after the third quarter. An incident between the players began on the court and resulted in an alarming number of fans spilling from the bleachers to participate, adding to the turbulence.

Video footage made its way around social media during the day Friday. Two incidents in three days. And nary a peep from any city official. Crickets from the mayor's office. Crickets from the superintendent's office. An absolute embarrassment.

I am unclear as to why there was no police presence at Thursday's game. This was two days after an ugly postgame incident against another rival. Police chief Brian Wright said Friday afternoon that his office received no request from the high school to staff Thursday's game.

This just in: Crowds create issues. Rivalries create issues. Everywhere. New London, Waterford, East Lyme. Police are a necessity.

It remains the prerogative of school leadership to pass on employing a School Resource Officer or welcoming other police personnel to the high school campus during the school day. But a basketball game is a public event that bears far different circumstances. Patrons from the public pay to enter the gym. And with that comes an obligation by the school to provide a safe environment. A police presence is a deterrent to delinquent behavior.

Most — if not all — other schools in the region have police at events. It's time New London did the same. Now. Because it's a very legitimate question now who is actually going to feel safe in Conway Gym without it.

Moreover, it's time members of New London's administration emerged from their caves. Administrators need to be present at the games. More identifiable security personnel is required. So is the presence of coaches from other sports. They need to be visible throughout the gym. They are not. Aside from athletic director Phil Orbe, the only other adult I've witnessed trying to maintain order is C.J. Parker, a school alum who has become an interventionst in the school and the assistant girls' basketball coach.

I suspect that the focus of a great many dullards will be on who started Thursday's disturbance as a means to justify unacceptable behavior. I suspect others will reflexively retreat to victimhood, New London's go-to defense amid controversy. Just do me a favor: Take your faux martyrdom somewhere else. Because either you don't get it or don't want to.

The behavior inside Conway Gym two nights this week perpetuates the stereotypes at which true New Londoners bristle. The perpetrators acted just exactly as expected. And that's the truly heartbreaking part. Many good, honest, decent people in this city have worked tirelessly for years to hone a welcoming, tolerant character for New London. I wonder what they're thinking today.

And while we're here: It is clearly the adults' responsibility to provide a safe environment. But do the students at New London High have a pulse? Do they understand that by condoning the behavior of their peers they sustain all the rotten things others think? Do they even care?

I hope New London's Central Office understands what this week has accomplished in the minds of the public. The entire magnet concept depends on attendance and interest from surrounding towns. New London had a perception problem before the week began. Now the concept that it is not a safe place is all but cemented in the minds of even the folks who have been willing to give the benefit of the doubt.

Conway Gym is the site for the ECC's girls' basketball semifinals in a few weeks. Unless New London takes bigger, bolder and better measures to ensure public safety at its sporting events, the league needs to go somewhere else.

I've been going to Conway Gym for 31 years now. I've never been angrier or more heartbroken. Somebody — anybody: Show some leadership and fix this. New London deserves better.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro