For an entire weekend in March, University of Massachusetts Amherst students will be banned from hosting guests who are not UMass Amherst students.
The ban, which will be in effect March 5-8, is aimed at preventing violent, drunken disturbances that have occurred over the years at the Blarney Blowout, reports the Boston Globe. The Barney Blowout, which is not sanctioned by the university, is a series of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations held in the area.
Last year, 58 revelers were arrested and four police officers were injured during the festivities. The majority of those arrested were visitors and not UMass students.
Most arrests occurred at an off-campus apartment complex, and the large gatherings led to fights, injuries, severe alcohol intoxication, sexual assaults, excessive noise, property damage and violence toward police and community members.
In addition to this year’s ban on outside guests, school and town officials and law enforcement have reached out to students, bars, liquor stores and landlords about how they can help prevent what happened in 2014. UMass will also host on-campus events in an attempt to lure students from attending off-campus parties.
Photo Wikimedia Hongreddotbrewhouse
