The London Police Service will be addressing the media at 4 p.m. Tuesday to release final statistics from last weekend’s FOCO, or “Fake Homecoming” event.
In addition to police Chief John Pare, Middlesex-London Paramedic Service Chief Neal Roberts, Deputy Fire Chief Jack Burt, and chief bylaw enforcement officer Orest Katolyk will all be on hand at police headquarters.
980 CFPL will have a reporter at the news conference.
The final numbers will be released then, but police have previously indicated that the unsanctioned celebrations kept emergency personnel busy.
Police tweeted Saturday at 4 p.m. that 26 people had already been taken to hospital.
This year, the university’s student council hosted “Purple Fest” in an effort to keep students away from city streets and in a safe environment. The six-hour event featured popular musical acts, such as Lil Uzi Vert and Loud Luxury, along with a licensed beer bar.
Speaking with 980 CFPL on Sunday, Coun. Phil Squire said he commended the student council but that it didn’t work.
“This is really a protest against Western administration. I saw a lot of signs on student properties really illustrating that, saying they were having this event to direct it at administration which told them they couldn’t have it.”
FOCO earned its name after Western’s sanctioned homecoming event was pushed to later in the fall, close to students’ midterm exams, in an effort to reduce street partying.
In 2017, FOCO celebrations and unsanctioned street parties resulted in police laying over 60 charges and issuing nearly 1,000 warnings, while 37 people were taken to hospital as a result of the festivities.
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