Kingston police brace for another night of partying

Kingston police are bracing for another night of revelry by Queen’s University students after nearly two dozen arrests were made Friday night.

The university announced in November that traditional fall homecoming celebrations would be cancelled for at least two years due to safety concerns.

But revellers refuse to give up the partying that accompanies the festivities and continue to throw unofficial “faux coming” parties.

With the football game underway Saturday afternoon, police had already responded to 18 incidents including three rowdy keg parties, numerous liquor violations, an indecent act, a vandalized car, a break and enter, and a report of kids throwing tree branches onto a bus.

Const. Mike Menor says about 23 people were arrested Friday night and early Saturday morning on charges ranging from assaulting a police officer to public intoxication. He adds that partiers threw objects at a prisoner van after arrests were made.

Menor says police have also seen a number of underage drinkers this weekend and that homecoming weekend is always taxing on police and Kingston residents, who are fed up with the resources being poured into the event.

Toronto police on horseback and riot police have been called in to assist local officers in dealing with the influx of debauchery.

But he adds that police expect Saturday night parties to be even more out of control because it is traditionally the major night for celebrations.

Menor says 11 officers on horseback helped keep the drunken party goers from flooding into the streets Friday night.