‘No right to party’: St. Patrick’s Day court injunction in full effect
Posted Mar 12, 2025 02:34:58 PM.
Last Updated Mar 14, 2025 02:47:33 PM.
Regional police are ready to crack down on any St. Patrick’s Day parties this weekend with a large amount of fencing along Ezra Street and the surrounding area, and an approved court injunction now officially in effect.
Waterloo and WRPS said earlier this week that an Injunction Order was granted by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, which runs from Friday, March 14 at midnight to March 17 at 11:59 p.m. when the holiday ends.
It means anyone caught taking part in rowdy, unsanctioned celebrations could be arrested, detained, or charged with breach of a court order.
The Injunction Order reads, “Charter rights are not absolute or unqualified; the Charter does not give any person the legal right to unlawfully trample on the legal rights of others, to threaten public safety, or to disregard lawful municipal enactments: Ottawa, at para. 49.”
“(Contrary to the notorious Beastie Boys song, there is no right to party.)”
It goes on to say that an infringement on Charter rights is justified in these St. Patrick’s Day circumstance where law enforcement is needed.
It concludes with, “The selfishness and indifference to public safety and the welfare of other citizens manifest in the show of defiance of the By-Law and Bacchanalian excess without regard to the consequences to others that the SPD gatherings have been in the past, and are likely to be in the proximate future in 2025, are disturbing.”
“It allows us to prevent crowds before they gather,” said Deputy Chief with WRPS, Jen Davis. “What would happen is, as people are starting to gather, we can actually educate them on the fact that the injunction is now in place, let them know that there’s an increased jeopardy for themselves with respect to the injunction.”
Davis said the main purpose for the injunction is safety for both the community and those involved, adding that it’s best for everyone involved.
“It’s not meant to be this heavy-handed, come in and arrest. It’s meant to really educate and encourage people to just kind of disperse, not actually allow the street gathering or unsanctioned events to happen in the first place.”
The issue will then come down to those who ignore the headed warnings and preventative steps from police, said Davis, who added that officers are fully prepared to step in further when needed.
“We have the ability at that point then to use discretion to take any necessary steps after, whether it’s an arrest or a detention or charges being laid.”
That injunction doesn’t just include the University District, as it includes other adjacent neighbourhoods and parts of Uptown Waterloo.
The city puts up fencing every year to try to prevent large unsanctioned gatherings from forming.
According to the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS), it spans to include the Northdale and MacGregor neighbourhoods, the southern portion of the Sugarbush community, and the majority of Uptown. The fencing also wraps around Waterloo Park.
Students speaking with 570 NewsRadio as the fence was going up have wide-ranging views about it as a party blocker.
A PhD student from Laurier said, “I think it’s good preparation. It’s the best way to prepare and prevent people from actually having a party.”
A 21-year-old Laurier student says she doesn’t understand why students put on the street party anyway, but as for the fence, “I feel it’s right.”
But for another student, the fencing will only make a difference to responsible students, saying, “The ones who are coming in from other schools, I don’t think they really care, so they’re going to cause damage like they usually do.”
She says of the fence, “I don’t think it’s the best way to deal with the situation, but it’s what they’re doing, and it’s what they’ve been doing, so even though it hasn’t worked, they keep on with it.”
The City of Waterloo has declared a “Community Safety Event” and parking ban in place for parts of the city that fall under the court injunction order. The traffic and parking bylaw will be enforced throughout the weekend.
It’s all part of the city’s Post-Secondary District Safety Initiative, which is a partnership with WRPS, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo, Conestoga College, and Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services.
Police cite a waste of public resources as one of the problems. In years past WRPS have spent hundreds of thousands policing unsanctioned street gatherings, which tend to take up a large amount of ambulances, paramedics and police resources through the weekend.
More information about charges and penalties that may occur over the weekend can be found on the City of Waterloo’s website.
