Fundraiser talks about helping workers confronted by UConn 'Mac - WFSB 3 Connecticut

After a University of Connecticut student whose viral rant about macaroni and cheese led to his arrest, some fellow students are using his viral rant to help others. 

Luke Gatti, 19, of Bayville, NY, was on the docket to appear in Rockville Superior Court. However, court officials said his case was continued to Nov. 3.

Last weekend, Gatti allegedly tried to bring an open container of alcohol into the Union Street Market dining area and was confronted by the market’s manager. The incident was recorded and uploaded to the website YouTube.

The 9 minute clip showed an upset Gatti demanding bacon jalapeno mac and cheese from the manager. The manger held his ground. Angered even more, Gatti shoved the manager a few times.

Toward the end of the video, another employee and the manager held Gatti on the ground and waited for police to arrive.

UConn freshman Sadie Rumsey decided to start a fundraising page for the cafeteria workers. The GoFundMe page has raised more than $2,000 for the workers. Rumsey said she is just $500 short of her goal.

“Just very poorly represented what UConn is like as a community,"  Rumsey said. “Just every disrespectful and belligerent which is something we don't want our school portrayed as.”

UConn police took Gatti into custody. They said they charged him with second-degree breach of peace and first-degree criminal trespass.

Gatti later issued an apology video to YouTube.

“I’d like to apologize to the staff, including the manager,” Gatti said in the video. “He gave me so many chances to walk away and I didn’t listen to him.

Gatti admitted to being very intoxicated.

“No one deserves to be treated that way,” he said.

UConn Dining Services released a statement on the incident.

"The staff is generally overwhelmed by all of the attention we have received and are grateful that so many people have recognized the good we do daily for the students,” the statement said.

The video has been the talk on campus and students said they are hoping the positive will outweigh the negative.

“We came together and it showed we are all good student,” Alyssa Mattison, UConn student, said. “We are all good people and we are going to turn something negative into a positive.”  

“We really wanted to tell them thank you and we appreciate them and paint the image that as a community we are not Luke Gatti," Rumsey said. “We are kind intelligent people who care about our stuff.”

Gatti has been in similar trouble before, according to records. When he was a student at the University of Massachusetts, he was arrested twice for disorderly conduct.

UConn said Gatti is still currently a student at the university.

To donate to the GoFundMe account, click here.  

Copyright 2015 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.