Kitchener-Waterloo·Video
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The City of Waterloo announced last week that it was granted a court injunction allowing Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) to criminally charge students who gather for unsanctioned street parties during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Saturday marked a day teeming with students along Marshall Street in Waterloo’s University District.
Police asked for public’s cooperation while moving partygoers on Marshall St. Saturday
Hannah Kavanagh · CBC News
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Waterloo’s University District was a sea of green for St. Patrick’s Day, despite injunction
Hundreds of students gathered on Marshall Street on Saturday in Waterloo’s University District to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. A court injunction allowing police to detain and arrest anyone attending an unsanctioned street party in that city this weekend didn’t stop the gathering. Police would not say if anyone was arrested, but a spokesperson told CBC News they “encourage those planning to celebrate, to do so in smaller gatherings, at licensed establishments, or at home.”
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations went forward as hundreds of green-clad students filled Marshall Street and surrounding areas in Waterloo Saturday despite a court-ordered injunction that could lead to their detainment and arrest.
In the days leading up to St. Patrick’s Day, the City of Waterloo announced that it was granted an injunction order by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice from Friday, March 14 at 12:00 a.m. to Monday, March 17 at 11:59 p.m.
The injunction allows police to detain, arrest and charge anyone who is participating in unsanctioned street parties in that city this weekend.
St. Patrick’s Day often sees thousands of students take to the streets in the University District of Waterloo to drink, party and sometimes cause chaos and disorder.
This court order was met with mixed reactions by students and neighbours.
Instead of being given a ticket, party goers now risk being charged with a criminal offence by Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) if engaging in illegal activities and thereby breaching the court order.
This, however, did not deter everyone: Saturday afternoon saw what appears to be hundreds, possibly thousands, of students gathering on the streets of Waterloo to drink, mingle and celebrate.
“Everybody was on the sidewalk for a while because the police were keeping people off the street, and then eventually they closed off an area for everyone to form a big party,” said Miguel Vieira, who travelled to Waterloo for the celebrations. “It’s just a crowd packed full of people, so it gets old eventually in my opinion, but it’s fun for a little bit.”
Kaitlyne Buttenham, a Trent University student visiting for the weekend, said that the increased police presence may have made the gathering more peaceful, but did not deter most students.
“It did put the thought in your head, like, you know, contain yourself a little,” Buttenham said.
Mert Buke, a Wilfrid Laurier University student, lives in a fraternity house on Marshall Street. He spent Sunday morning cleaning up the aftermath of the celebrations outside his house.
“I saw how fast the city cleans the streets as well, immediately after the party. So, I don’t know, it’s kind of motivating for me to do the same for my house,” said Buke.
He said he didn’t know if the injunction had any effect on deterring students.
“At the end of the day, it’s going to happen regardless,” he said. “I saw a lot of people that had passed out, like scary situations, out here yesterday and it was very difficult for police to get to them.”
Saturday evening, WRPS released a statement asking the public to avoid the areas of Marshall Street and Regina Street North as members of the WRPS Public Order Unit tried to move individuals off the streets.
Buke said he had spoken to a police officer before the festivities began around 2:30 p.m. and was assured that he wouldn’t get charged as a tenant of a property on the street. By the time the party quieted down in the evening, students were cleared out of the area.
“The police officers at the end of Marshall made an announcement saying… you’re gonna get fined or you’re subject to get arrested if you don’t move. And they blew a whistle and everyone just ran up the street and kind of just ran home at 7 [p.m.],” said Buke.
Sunday, though, saw a fairly quiet University District. Around noon, Marshall Street was empty save for a few fences and a couple pieces of trash. Many students told CBC News they use Sunday as time to relax and prepare to go back to school on Monday.
“Definitely need a rest day,” said Buttenham, adding bars reopen Monday so that may restart the celebrating.
WRPS public information officer Melissa Quarrie told CBC News in an email Sunday that they “continue to monitor the situation” and “encourage those planning to celebrate, to do so in smaller gatherings, at licensed establishments, or at home.”
Outside of that statement, spokesperson Cherri Greeno told CBC News Sunday that WRPS would not release official estimates of numbers or a summary of events until after all celebrations were done.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hannah Kavanagh is a reporter/editor with CBC KW. Have a story? Send an email at hannah.kavanagh@cbc.ca
With files from Aastha Shetty, Diego Pizarro
