Halifax neighbourhood overrun by parties

More than 2,000 people swarm city’s south end for a booze- fuelled bash, leading to 22 arrests

Nearly two dozen partygoers were arrested after a series of off- campus celebrations for Dalhousie University’s homecoming weekend overran a Halifax neighbourhood. Police estimate up to 2,000 people swarmed the city’s south end for a booze- fuelled bash, leading to 22 arrests and a number of fines for bylaw violations including disturbing the peace and public intoxication. Sgt. Darla Perry of the Halifax Regional Police said officers caught wind of social- media rumblings about planned house parties in the area before homecoming festivities started underway Friday night.

By Saturday morning, the revelry had spilled onto the residential streets, Perry said, and about 20 officers were dispatched to the scene. Emergency vehicles crawled through the sea of yellow and black - Dalhousie’s official colours - while responders tried to block off the roads and disperse the unsanctioned party, Perry said.

Young people drank from open containers on lawns, porches and verandas with little regard for private property, she said.

Videos uploaded to social media show the normally sleepy neighbourhood teeming with partiers, some of whom were ushered into the backs of police cars while the crowd chanted obscenities at officers.

“You got actual lives to save, but you’d rather be watching a university party,” a woman can be heard saying in one video.

Perry said police do not condone disrespectful behaviour, but it was unsafe for officers to respond to the taunts because they were outnumbered. Their main goal was to keep people safe, she said, and no one was injured during the incident. University officials have denounced the gathering, with Dalhousie President Richard Florizone tweeting that the university is considering taking disciplinary actions against some of the students involved.