As many as 2,000 Dalhousie University students took to the streets Saturday to let off some steam, and things quickly got out of control.
Thirty people are facing charges under the Liquor Control Act and bylaw violations, but police can’t say for certain if there are any more.
“We're looking at those numbers. We have no Criminal Code charges, but breach of the peace charges and public intoxication charges," says Insp. Dean Simmonds of Halifax Regional Police
Part of the cleanup from the unsanctioned homecoming event includes a hard look at how student drinking policies are enforced on and off campus.
Brian Leadbetter, a spokesperson for Dalhousie University, reiterated Monday the university does have policies around student safety and alcohol consumption. Just a few weeks ago during welcome week, the university banned booze in residences.
“Unfortunately in some instances we need to rely on students to make good judgment calls and unfortunately this weekend many students didn't make the right judgment call,” says Leadbetter.
Tristan Bray, the executive director of Students Nova Scotia, says it's important that students have a safe space on campus to celebrate and drink, otherwise they'll find another place to party.
“That's where can go absolutely wrong. Dozens of police cars, people getting arrested, it's because we didn't have that regulated environment for students to party in,” says Bray.
University of King’s College journalism student Ross Andersen was in the middle of the celebrations taking video.
"It was pretty tense between the students and the cops,” he says. “I didn't stay much long than 10 minutes because cops were taking people on the side of the road and putting them in handcuffs."
Andersen believes the students planning the event weren’t well organized.
“What do you expect? It's homecoming. Learn from schools like Queens, learn from schools like Western that have these huge homecomings,” he says.
Alcohol consumption at Maritime universities has been linked to student deaths. Since 2014, university leaders have been working together to address high-risk drinking.
“The principle behind everything they do is having students involved in those initiatives and getting student input and helping with the implementation,” says Peter Halpin of the Association of Atlantic Universities.
The school has yet to determine what punishment partygoers will face, but knows it will have to work to repair relationships in the neighbourhood.
“It's sad that the students feel like they have to get drunk in order to have a good time,” says longtime resident Jackie Bell. “It's sad for the people that live here and would like a little more peace and quiet.”
A community meeting is planned for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the University Club. School officials, police officers, students and neighbours are all invited to attend, and talk about how to avoid similar events.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl and Marie Adsett.
Editor's note: In an earlier version of this story, a quote referencing rape culture was mistakenly attributed to the spokesperson for Dalhousie University. We regret this error.
