Suspect wanted for flipping car at unsanctioned McMaster homecoming event attended by 5,000

Hamilton police say they are looking for a man involved in damaging and flipping over a car during an “unsanctioned McMaster homecoming event” attended by thousands of people on Saturday.

Police responded to a large gathering in the Ainslie Woods area around 12:30 p.m. and say that by 2 p.m., the crowd had grown to about 5,000 people. The massive gathering coincided with the first home game of the season for McMaster University’s football team.

Several streets were closed in the area for safety reasons.

Glass bottles, cans and other objects were reportedly launched at police officers and a police vehicle was damaged.

Police arrested and charged five people for breach of the peace and two others for Liquor Licence Act offences. No serious injuries were reported but many were treated “for injuries consistent with falling and other blunt forces as well as excessive alcohol consumption,” police said.

Investigators are currently asking for the public’s helping in identifying a man who was allegedly among those who damaged a white Mazda and have released an image of him. He is described as a white male with brown hair. He was wearing a blue baseball cap, a burgundy and yellow rugby shirt and khaki shorts at the time of the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

McMaster University president David Farrar apologized, calling the students’ actions on Saturday “completely unacceptable.”

“McMaster students, and any others who chose to be part of the gathering of several thousand people in our community on Saturday, owe our neighbours, our emergency workers and every other student an apology for the disruptions, disrespect of property and disregard of those who live in our community,” Farrar said in a statement.

“On their behalf, I apologize for this behaviour, particularly by those who caused damage and put anyone at risk.”

“Fake homecoming” events have become “all too common” at universities across the province, Farrar said.

“These events are promoted and encouraged by people who hide behind the privacy of social media without any consideration for students or others who might be injured, or for the neighbourhoods that suffer the noise, garbage, property damage and disruptions,” he said.

Farrar said the school chose not to have any official homecoming events connected to the football team’s first home game of the season.

He said the school worked with police and bylaw officers ahead of the weekend and worked with the student union to remind students of the consequences if the unsanctioned street party went ahead and got out of control.

“The vast majority of our students chose not to be part of the gathering, but those who did, and especially those who chose to be reckless and destructive, put themselves and others at risk,” Farrar said.

“Their actions leave the impression that all students behave this way, which is neither true nor fair.”

OTTAWA CHAOS

Meanwhile in Ottawa, police are investigating several incidents of criminal behaviour after a car was overturned and one person was assaulted in the Sandy Hill district of the city.

Police say a large number of officers as well as RCMP, City By-law, paramedics and Ottawa Fire Services were called to deal with unruly crowds following Saturday’s annual Panda Game between Carleton University and the University of Ottawa.

Officers are reviewing social media, video and other investigative information gathered Saturday night after thousands of people gathered on several streets.

Charges could be laid under the Reopening of Ontario Act, Liquor Licence Act, City By-laws as well as any criminal charges. Investigators are also working with the University of Ottawa and Carleton University to identify students involved.

With a file from The Canadian Press and Mike Vlasveld, Citynews Ottawa