San Diego, California – Town gown issues are heating up near California State University San Diego (CSUSD) as neighbors who live nearby are claiming off-campus parties involving students have gotten out of control.
Despite CSUSD officials asking students to not congregate in large crowds due to COVID-19 and issuing hundreds of citations since the start of the pandemic, the neighbors say not much is being done about the gatherings that have recently become larger and more frequent, reports CBS8.
One local resident told the news station that the parties take place at all times of the day. The frequency of the gatherings is so high that local police can’t get to all of them.
Since January, CSUSD hasn’t suspended any students but has contacted 215 of them about violating the school’s coronavirus policies. In the previous semester, 55 students were suspended and 1,400 citations were issued for COVID-19 violations, reports CBS8.
San Diego isn’t the only location where people are partying more after being cooped up for more than a year due to the pandemic. Earlier this month, police had to break up a massive party near the campus of the University of Colorado, Boulder that had nearly 800 people in attendance. Many weren’t wearing masks or following COVID-19 regulations.
Additionally, last week spring breakers in Miami Beach, Florida overran the city, forcing officials to impose a curfew. On Saturday, officers released pepper spray balls on a rowdy crowd on Ocean Drive that refused to abide by the 8 p.m. curfew, reports the Associated Press. In the past six weeks, the Miami Beach Police Department has made 1,050 arrests, reports USA Today.
Social gatherings and parties have been linked to surges of the coronavirus.
