Streets were closed off in San Luis Obispo near Cal Poly early Saturday morning and damage reported as police say thousands of people gathered at the start of St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
San Luis Obispo police say calls started coming in at around 3:30 a.m. leading to citations for noise violations, unruly gatherings, open containers, public urination and public intoxication, adding that arrests were also made.
With the Safety Enhancement Zone in effect, along with an increased police presence, nuisance violation fines are doubled throughout the city through Monday morning, but that didn’t keep people from parting.
Police estimate 6,000 to 7,000 people were gathering in the streets near Cal Poly, leading to the closure of the streets surrounding Hathway and Bond at around 6 a.m. Saturday.
“I was standing in my driveway playing defense the whole morning, yelling at people to not come on my property. Yeah, it was pretty ridiculous,” said Cal Poly student Mason Asphar.
Police say several cars in surrounding neighborhoods were damaged, adding that mutual aid was requested from other agencies including the Cal Poly Police Department, Cal State police, California Men’s Colony, and the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC).
Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong sent a message to the Cal Poly community Saturday regarding the events of the morning and other damage on campus.
“I’m disappointed and disgusted as I write to you today about the behavior that some of our students and campus visitors displayed when they took part in early morning St. Patrick’s Day partying that caused significant damage to Muir Hall and several other University Housing facilities, as well as property off campus,” his note began.
Armstrong states the damaged to the dorm was so extensive that the building was temporarily closed and about 300 students evacuated while fire suppression and alarm systems were restored and cleanup done of smashed ceiling tiles and marred floors. Other damage, although less severe, was reported at some other dorms/housing complexes as well, according to Armstrong.
He states that along with issues with housing, widespread theft was reported Saturday morning at dining facilities and markets on campus.
“To be sure, the vast majority of our students chose to celebrate this holiday more responsibly. We also know that our campus had many more visitors this year than during past St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Nevertheless, the negative impacts of those from our community who engaged in unsafe and destructive actions are clear and visible,” Armstrong wrote. “These selfish and harmful actions are unacceptable for individuals who have been granted the privilege to study, live and work in the Cal Poly community. It is confounding and deeply disturbing that a portion of our own students so ignorantly and callously destroyed part of our campus – including the very places they and so many other students live,” he said.
Armstrong says Cal Poly will hold its students and others accountable for their actions to the extent possible and ask witnesses or anyone who has photos or videos from the morning’s incidents to report them to the Dean of Student’s Office.
San Luis Obispo police expect to release more information on the weekend and Saturday morning incident in the coming days and ask people to call the non-emergency phone number at (805) 781-7312 to report disturbances or to make a report if you had property damaged.
