Hub top cop tells students to be on best behavior for marathon
Some collegians complain about Patriots Day hassles
Police Commissioner William B. Evans is asking local college students to be on their best behavior for Monday’s marathon — a day when some say they plan to party responsibly, which others say they find a hassle.
In an open letter to students yesterday, Evans said the “significant presence” of both uniformed and plainclothes police along the 26.2-mile route will not tolerate public drinking or congregating on rooftops, fire escapes or porches.
As in every year since the 2013 marathon bombings, backpacks will be subject to search at designated checkpoints, he added. He urged people to report anything suspicious.
“It is our hope that everyone enjoys this year’s Boston Marathon and celebrates in a safe and respectful manner,” the commissioner said. “The city of Boston takes pride in this event, and we ask that you play a role in our effort to ensure that we are a shining example of good sportsmanship, pride and, most of all, resilience.”
Kyle Katamba, a Boston College junior and resident assistant at his dorm, said he’ll probably watch the marathon with friends along the route, and he’s prepared for the heightened security and road closures the race brings.
“Students usually conduct themselves pretty well,” said Katamba, 20. “I’ve never seen anyone get belligerent.”
But Nathan Akhtarzad, a Boston University junior, claimed police have overreacted to past complaints about students.
“It is a hassle because they’ve shut down a lot of parties,” said Akhtarzad, 20. “So it is annoying to have your party shut down even when it’s small.”
Evans recommended that people take the MBTA to get around, noting that many roads, including Newbury Street and Huntington Avenue outbound, will be closed to vehicular traffic because of the hundreds of thousands of spectators.
Valeria Salazar, another BU junior, said she finds all of those restrictions “definitely really annoying and invasive” to people like her who live in the area.
“It’s disruptive to our everyday lives,” said Salazar, 21. “Sometimes they stop you and check your bag. And it’s pretty loud if you want to study . ... I’m not from Boston, so I have no emotional connection to it.”
BU senior Caitlin Stavish, 22, said the bag searches create bottlenecks for people trying to make their way through the crowd. But while Brennan McMullen, a fellow senior, agreed that the marathon makes it difficult to get around, “it is nice we’re getting this information ahead of time.”
Jonmichael Aracena, a BU freshman, works at the Starbucks close to the finish line and expects a “crazy, crazy day.”
“If the T is overly crowded, it’s going to make it harder to get to work on time,” he said. “But the safety of people is important enough that we could wake up 20 minutes earlier to get to wherever we need to go . ... In the end, it’s worth it.”
See www.baa.org for spectator guidelines and www.bpdnews.com for information on street closures and parking restrictions.