Large, destructive ‘fake homecoming’ party provokes harsh responses from police and McMaster

Hamilton police are investigating a large unsanctioned gathering" in a west Hamilton neighbourhood on Saturday.

A sea of students descended on a west Hamilton neighbourhood Saturday, the day of the McMaster University Marauders football team's first home game of the season - and the first since 2019.

Some have dubbed this weekend the university's unofficial homecoming.

Police say officers responded to the area of Dalewood Avenue and Westwood Avenue at around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. By 2 p.m., the crowd had grown to about 5,000 people, police say.

Police say a car was overturned and street signs damaged," and glass bottles and cans thrown at officers. A police car was also damaged.

Glass bottles, cans and other objects were thrown at officers and one police vehicle was damaged as a result," police say.

Several people were treated for injuries consistent with falling and other blunt forces" and for excessive alcohol consumption," police say. No serious injuries were reported.

Five people were charged with breach of the peace, and two under the liquor licence act. Police continue to look for individuals responsible for damaging and flipping over a white Mazda."

McMaster University president David Farrar says several thousand" students who gathered on Saturday for fake homecoming" owe the community an apology.

In a statement Sunday morning, Farrar said partygoers owe our neighbours, our emergency workers and every other student an apology for the disruptions, disrespect of property and disregard of those who live in our community."

The university will be co-operating fully" with police, and will support their work to identify those who participated in any illegal activities," the statement reads. Students who violated the university's code of conduct may be sanctioned.

Students, many wearing maroon McMaster apparel - beer cans, Thermoses and water bottles in hand - filled streets, spilling over onto lawns on Dalewood Avenue, in the residential neighbourhood south of Main Street West, Saturday afternoon.

This is going to be probably crazy because of COVID," Danielle Titian, 19, a third-year student at McMaster, said on Saturday. Everyone's just stuck in their house and now everyone's excited to get out and be social again."

Titian said she was at the unsanctioned homecoming two years ago, but stayed home last year.

I didn't go because of COVID, I wanted to be safe," she said.

Photos and video from the scene show large, mostly maskless crowds, despite requests from the school and police for students to limit gathering sizes and follow COVID protocols.

At least a dozen students sat in trees on lawns. One student climbed out onto a branch and swung from a tree for a cheering crowd. Police put up yellow tape around the perimeter of one Dalewood house to keep students off the grass and driveway.

Photos and video circulating on social media show partygoers flipping over a car.

As of 3 p.m. throngs of students were still filtering in from Main Street West.

About a dozen police cruisers, as well as an ambulance and a paramedic vehicle, were on scene.

In a letter earlier this week, McMaster reminded students to keep safety, respect and their neighbours top of mind" this weekend.

It's more important than ever that students act responsibly toward their neighbours and each other as we savour the privilege of more in-person events on campus and off," associate vice-president and dean of students Sean Van Koughnett said in the Sept. 29 letter.

The university said it would be ramping up its security presence on campus and in the surrounding neighbourhoods this weekend."

Violating bylaws or laws could result in fines, charges and sanctions, the university said.

Kate McCullough is a Hamilton-based reporter covering education at The Spectator. Reach her via email: kmccullough@thespec.com