Thousands gather on Halifax streets for chaotic Dalhousie University homecoming parties; one person stabbed
Thousands of party-goers filled several streets in Halifax Saturday night as part of unsanctioned Dalhousie University homecoming events, according to Halifax Regional Police.
Around 10 p.m., a crowd of 3,000 to 4,000 “intoxicated people” started gathering on Larch, Preston and Jennings streets, eventually making their way to Jubilee Road, police said in a news release.
Police say they pulled several injured people from the crowd, including a man who was stabbed, but police did not indicate the severity of his injuries.
Adrian, a student who asked CTV News not to use his last name, called the party a “disaster.”
“It was shoulder-to-shoulder basically the whole length of the street,” said Adrian. “It was just house parties galore, like just people on roofs, people in trees.”
Homecoming is a fall tradition among Dalhousie students. A similar party at the event last year saw police arrest 10 people for public intoxication.
According to students, a few parties started around noon Saturday and crowds grew drastically throughout the day.
“The boys were rallying, chucking beer cans,” said student Logan Denison.
Officers tried to disperse the crowd, but say they faced a “high level of resistance,” with bottles, cans and debris from post-tropical storm Fiona thrown at officers.
It’s been reported officers were also punched, kicked and spat on, with some requiring medical care.
However, some are also accusing police of using excessive force. In videos circulating online, officers appear to shove people in the crowd and wield cans of pepper spray.
Dalhousie Student Union President Aparna Mohan condemned the “violence” used by police in a Twitter thread, writing “Students texted me saying @HfxRegPolice had begun to pepper spray, tear gas & jump partygoers at Larch Street tonight.”
In an interview with CTV News, Mohan said Dalhousie could take more responsibility for the incident.
“I want to point out the specific ways HRM and council and police take responsibility and invite everyone to have a more nuanced conversation,” said Mohan.
Police say, at one point, a fire was set in the street using downed branches from post-tropical storm Fiona. Officers managed to put the fire out.
The crowd was dispersed after a "couple of hours," and while police did not say how many people were arrested, they say dozens of summary offence tickets were issued.
A Halifax Regional Municipality councillor who lives in the area says Dalhousie should take responsibility for its students.
Waye Mason says the school needs to be “more transparent about their code of conduct issues and what they're going to do to make sure that students are staying on campus to have a drink.”
“Part of what we understand is that students are not allowed to, or find it very difficult,” said Mason.
Police said Saturday's incident required them to call in extra backup as the size of the gathering grew.
In an email to CTV News, a spokesperson for Dalhousie University said it has warned students that attending street parties is unacceptable, but noted, “It’s a complex and growing problem across North American universities that pose a high-risk for alcohol-related and safety incidents on campuses and nearby neighbourhoods.”
Halifax Regional Police say more information will be released when it becomes available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.