There is a mixed reaction in Waterloo to an unjustification that allows the police to stop, arrest and charge anyone who participates in street parties not authorized in that city this weekend.
In the anticipation of a tradition on San Patricio Day and its surroundings that makes thousands of students take to the streets in the University District of Waterloo to drink, celebrate and, sometimes, cause chaos and disorder.
The court order granted to the city by the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario will be in force from Friday, March 14 at 12:00 am to Monday, March 17 at 11:59 pm
“The judicial order attached a position of the Criminal Code to what was previously the annoyed statute. Previously, he would be accused of a ticket. He can now be accused of a criminal offense for violating a court order,” said Jen Davis, deputy head of the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS).
Security concerns
Davis says that street holidays around San Patricio’s day are a growing problem in Waterloo and that the court order will help the police better deal with them.
“We have seen a gradual increase in people who attend these events, and we need to find new and new solutions about how we could guarantee public safety,” he said, added that in recent years they have received numerous reports of security concerns in the area in recent years.
“We have had previous reports of large crowds stopped on garage roofs, multiple incidents of pranks such as furniture that have set fire on roads,” he said.
The University District area includes the neighborhoods of Northdale and MacGregor, the southern part of the Sugarbush neighborhood and the majority of the Uptown neighborhood. It also includes Waterloo Park.
Kae Elgie, a member of the Board of the MacGregor-Albert Community Association, says that street matches have significantly interrupted their neighborhood in recent years.
“We would see people simply being quite flagrant. People would come and urinate in our courtyards and throw garbage. It would be quite disrespectful,” he said.
Elgie says that the MacGregor-Albert community association does not want to stop the parties in the university district.
“We are not against the party. We just want people to do it safely and respect those of us who have young children and older parents,” he said.
Cost for the city
According to a judicial ruling made by Judge Micheal Gibson in the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario, the city has spent approximately $ 105,000 responding to the street holidays. He added that municipal application services have spent more than $ 940,000 addressing these unauthorized meetings since 2017.
Judge Gibson says that the mandate does not violate the right of the letter to the freedom of the Pacific Assembly or the freedom of association.
“Charter rights are not absolute or not qualified; The letter does not give any person the legal right to illegally trample the legal rights of others, threaten public security or ignore legal municipal promulgation, “he said.
An annual tradition
For many students from the Wilfrid Laurier University, street holidays are a tradition of San Patricio Day.
“San Patricio’s Day in Waterloo is one of the things that makes it special. I think it is something that we must appreciate instead of trying to close it,” said Robert Chadney.
“I wish they let us have fun,” said Ben Smith.
Jennifer Hurtado is skeptical if the court order can arrest all street holidays.
“I think they still go to the party anyway. I don’t know how they will implement it,” he said.
Davis says that the court order allows the police to adopt a more proactive and preventive approach.
“We can educate young people as they begin to attend and meet to say that the court order is in their place,” he said.
“We can encourage them at that point to disperse,” he continued.
Davis added that, depending on the response of the people who meet, the officers would use their discretion to decide whether to begin arresting people in violation of the court order.
Reflection of Irish culture
Suelly, director of the Festival of the Irish real life festival, says that the members of the committee have feelings found on the court order.
“What worries us is that people feel that it is reflected in the Irish culture,” he said.
Nally added that the parties are a good way to see the Irish culture represented in the community.
“I love seeing all these students use green. There is something very moving in the people who say we are Irish for the day,” he said.
Nally says he wants the city of Waterloo to adopt a new approach to handle the holidays. He would like more Irish culture incorporated into the street parties.
“We would love to be more intentional about how it develops,” he said. “How do we work with what is already happening and do not let it reflect on culture and not let the neighbors affect?” She added.
Davis argues that the objective of the court order is not only to arrest and charge people, but stop the parties before they occur.
“The highest priority for us is education and communicate the message to students and others in the defined area,” he said.
Listening | Waterloo City is taken into account at St. Patrick’s Day Street:
The morning edition – KW4:20Waterloo City is taken into account at St. Patrick’s Day Street parties
This weekend in Waterloo, anyone trapped participating in an unauthorized San Patricio Day party could violate the annoying statute. And that means that the Regional Police can arrest, stop and keep them in custody. Diego Pizarro de CBC KW talks to the deputy director of WRPS Jen Davis.
