Kingston Police grapple with unsanctioned street parties for 2nd weekend in a row

Kingston Policedeclared an aggravated nuisance partynear Queen's University Saturday afternoon, the second weekend in a row bylaw and police officers have had to grapple with large crowds near the Kingston, Ont., campus.

At about 3 p.m., Community Programs Officer Greg Anderson estimated the crowd was around 3,000 people.

"The crowdslowly moved off Aberdeen [Street]," Anderson told CBC, adding that police have put road closures in place as the crowd moves through the area.

The City of Kingston asked residents to avoid the area around Aberdeen Street between Johnson and Earl streets.

Shortly after 5p.m., police lifted the aggravated nuisance party status, butsaid an officer was taken to hospital after being injured earlier in the afternoon.

2nd weekend of parties

Police laid nearly 150 fines and threecharges after last weekend's homecoming parties. Kingston Police estimated that around 8,000 people gathered on Aberdeen Streetlast Saturday for an unsanctioned street party. At the time, Anderson saidan officerwas injured by a flying object.

Police are also investigating a double homicidethat occurred that evening.

In a statement last weekend, Queen's principal and vice-chancellor Patrick Deanecondemned"the reckless behaviour of some of our students,as well as by other individuals who came here for the sole purpose of causing trouble."

He also warned students once again earlier this week to keep their gatherings small. "These large gatherings are not as benign as you might want to believe. There arein them other dangers to youthat far exceedthoserelated tothe pandemic," he wrote Thursday.

"Ithereforeurge youin the strongest termsto stay safe, look after your friends and your community, and rethink your participation in these groups."