Police in Guelph, Ont., have identified 11 people who participated in a wild street party over Homecoming weekend. More than 1,000 people lined Chancellors Way on Sept. 26. The gathering took a turn when objects started to be thrown into the crowd and a student climbed up a nearby residence fell to the ground below. There were also reports of shoplifting and vandalism in the area. At least 60 people were hurt during HoCo and Guelph General Hospital said those visits “stretched” the emergency department “beyond capacity” and put “significant pressure on critical” resources. Police have been trying to track down some of the partygoers. They have posted nearly two dozen photos on their website, taken from videos posted to social media. Some of them showed people with objects in their hands, including cans, smoke bombs and even a plumbing pipe. Eleven people had been identified as of Oct. 8. “Investigators continue to review reports and video and have posted new photos,” police wrote on social media. “Recognize someone? Contact Detective Constable Keddie at ckeddie@guelphpolice.ca.” The website currently shows 12 people they are still trying to identify. New working group Guelph Police said a meeting was held Tuesday with officials from the University of Guelph, the City of Guelph and Guelph General Hospital to discuss “how their collective approach must evolve.” “This year demonstrated that the environment surrounding unsanctioned gatherings has changed,” they wrote in a media release. “Social media’s speed and reach, along with individuals who encourage disorder or cause damage, can quickly increase an event’s scale, complexity and risk; disrupt nearby residents and businesses; and create safety concerns for participants, the community and first responders.” As a result, they agreed to create a Homecoming working group. “As these gatherings continue to evolve in size and complexity, we will build on our existing Homecoming planning and bring together appropriate expertise from each organization to examine ways to further strengthen prevention, operations, communications and response strategies; explore additional tools, authorities and resources to support community safety, as well as identify opportunities to hold offenders accountable,” police said. “Unsanctioned gatherings are complex and cannot be addressed by one organization or measure alone,” they added. The release said the group will meet regularly to discuss recommendations and monitor the progress of those efforts.
