A second weekend of Queen’s homecoming, otherwise known as “faux-coming” or fake homecoming, wrapped up in the city Sunday.
While crowds this past weekend were smaller and less rowdy than last week, two aggravated nuisance parties occurred Saturday, and another Kingston police officer sustained an injury requiring hospital care.
Police presence was heavy, including a mounted unit from the Toronto Police Force.
OPP, Greater Toronto Area and Gananoque police joined Kingston police officers on street corners throughout the day and night, as well, to manage rowdy party-goers.
On Saturday at around 3 p.m., the crowd at the corner of Earl and Aberdeen streets was large enough for police to declare it an aggravated nuisance party.
Kingston police tweeted at 4 p.m. that a local police officer sustained an injury and was taken to Kingston General Hospital for treatment.
Crowds dwindled in the evening but picked up again around 10 p.m. Saturday.
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By 11 p.m., a large crowd of a few hundred gathered in Victoria Park, where another aggravated nuisance party was declared. Brock Street was then closed to traffic and the park was cleared, while a few arrests took place.
Overall, however, police on the ground Saturday night said the crowds were respectful and manageable in comparison to last weekend’s crowd of about 8,000. There was visibly less open alcohol, police said.
Another notable aspect of the weekend was the community reaction to the banners hanging from University District homes last weekend, which residents denounced as misogynistic.
Saturday morning, residents walking through Victoria Park had to wade through several hanging white sheets, which mirrored those in the University District, but they had a strong message for local university students.
“Please take these messages for what they are,” read one of the sheets, “they are a direct reaction to the expression of misogyny across the University District. You have made our home unsafe.”
Following the first homecoming weekend, when sheets that read “lock up your daughters, not Kingston,” were hung across student homes, Queen’s principal Patrick Deane said those who participated in this action would face consequences.
This weekend, some banners were seen in the University District, but did not contain sexist messaging. One said, “flip cups, not cars.”
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