Queen’s students don’t need homecoming to party

Students in Kingston demonstrated this weekend that they don’t need a homecoming party to stir up trouble.

Police received 20 calls — mostly noise complaints — Sunday night in the student residential area.

In one incident, an intoxicated student was the victim of a hit-and-run but refused to seek medical attention or cooperate with police. He was struck by a blue car after wandering into the street in a drunken state. When emergency personal informed him that an ambulance was on its way, the victim fled the scene.

The fire department was also called when a group of young people threw a gasoline tank on a chair outside of a house party and lit it on fire. No one was injured in the incident.

The debaucherous start to the school year is typical of Kingston, which is famous for its rowdy — and sometimes destructive — student parties. In June, Queen’s University and Kingston city council announced that the annual homecoming party would be cancelled, starting in 2009.

The party turned in a full-scale riot, resulting in a car getting flipped and lit on fire and extensive vandalism. Outnumbered police were pelted with rocks and beer bottles.

Last year’s party was hailed a success after “only” 50 partiers were arrested of the 6,000 (many non-students) who showed up.