Police bust gathering of 1,500 that violated COVID-19 restrictions in Amaranth, Ont.

Provincial police busted an outdoor party with more than 1,500 attendees at a rural property in Amaranth, Ont., on Sunday night.

Under Ontario’s current COVID-19 restrictions, outdoor social gatherings and organized events are limited to up to 100 people.

At about 9:15 p.m. Sunday, officers responded to several noise complaints and reports of a large gathering at a residence on Line 4 in Amaranth, a township in Dufferin County northwest of Orangeville.

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Police saw about 1,000 cars parked in fields of the property, about 1,500 attendees, and spotlights, and heard loud music.

“It’s one of these pop-up gatherings,” Dufferin OPP Const. Terri-Ann Pencarinha said. “They advertise on social media…. It’s very similar to what’s happened in Peel and Toronto. They pick an address, they post it and see who shows up.”

Caledon, Huronia West and Nottawasaga OPP officers attended the scene to help with dispersing the crowd and traffic control.

The gathering’s organizer has since been identified and charges are pending under the Reopening Ontario Act.