Unruly University of Guelph party costs $91K in policing

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A new report says an unsanctioned homecoming party at the University of Guelph drew 15,000 people and resulted in approximately $91,000 in policing costs, according to Global News.

The report sent to the Guelph Police Service Board on Thursday showed a major increase in demand for police servicing on Sept. 26, the day of the off-campus party.

“A post-event assessment estimated that approximately 13,000 to 15,000 people were present within a selected area of Chancellor’s Way, east of Edinburgh Road,” the report said. “The Guelph Police Service recorded approximately 550 incidents across the city. Of these, approximately 250 were identified as directly associated with Homecoming.”

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More than 100% increase

The report said an average Saturday in September yields approximately 250 incidents. 550 incidents were recorded on Sept. 26, more than 100% of the average volume. The highest volume happened at 2 p.m., when police received a call roughly every two minutes.

Video showed people throwing objects into crowds. Some students said they chose to leave when things escalated: glass bottles, metal water bottles, sticks and other debris were being thrown.

Police responded with pepper spray.

The report identified 11 criminal incidents at the gathering: seven assaults, one offensive weapons occurrence, one disturb-the-peace occurrence, one mischief involving public property and one mischief involving a vehicle.

Six arrests were made and 70 notices were issued, mainly dealing with open liquor. Four of the six arrests involved public intoxication, one for assault and another for causing a disturbance.

Four property damage reports were made, including damage to a Guelph bus shelter, two vehicles and other personal property. Several business in the area also filed complaints.

Guelph mayor: ‘Worst yet’

Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie told CBC the party might have been the “worst” yet.

Guthrie told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo’s The Morning Edition people in the neighbourhood “are ticked” by the disruption.

“I don’t blame them,” he said on the Monday after the party. “It was probably the worst amount of issues that we’ve ever experienced in the history of homecoming parties.”

Guelph police said the party “was significantly larger than in recent years and generated several public-safety concerns.”

“Officers responded to incidents involving objects being thrown, people climbing buildings and other structures, as well as reports of shoplifting and vandalism affecting nearby businesses,” police said in a statement released in the wake of the party.

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