Penn State has fired the iconic college football coach Joe Paterno, as well as the school’s president, in the fallout over the apparent cover-up of child sexual abuse committed by a former assistant coach. The school has been mired in controversy following the disclosure Paterno, school president Graham Spanier, and other top school officials failed to alert police after hearing that Paterno’s former defensive coach, Jerry Sandusky, had sexually abused young boys. An apparent witness disclosed the abuse in 2002, but Sandusky was not arrested until last week. Considered a legendary figure in U.S. sports, the 84-year-old Paterno was in his 46th year as Penn State’s football coach. He had initially announced plans to retire at the end of the season but was fired on Wednesday following a meeting of the Penn State board of trustees. Hours later, rioting broke out at a student protest in support of Paterno, with at least one vehicle overturned and damaged.