Students hold massive St. Fratty’s Day party near Cal Poly, violating public health orders
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Hundreds of young people participated in a massive "St. Fratty's Day" party on the streets surrounding Cal Poly Saturday morning, despite public health orders warning against large gatherings.
San Luis Obispo police said their entire shift of officers responded to the event around 7:30 a.m.
They said the crowd, reportedly made up of 200 to 300 students, had begun to disperse upon officers' arrival.
Several citations were issued as police continued to patrol the area, three of which were for public health order violations.
Videos and pictures were shared on social media showing the large crowd cheering and drinking without masks.
Cal Poly issued the following response which states the school will hold any students who receive citations accountable for violating local, state or federal laws.
"The university is aware of the postings online and is extremely disappointed in the behavior they display.
We have been communicating regularly with students to remind them to avoid large gatherings and parties in connection with the holiday. As we have made a point to continue telling our campus community: We are not out of the woods yet in regard to the ongoing pandemic, and we need each member of our community to recommit to practicing safe and healthy behaviors and abiding by all university, county and state guidelines.
Cal Poly Police have worked in close coordination with San Luis Obispo Police to respond to these gatherings over the weekend.
We are looking into the gatherings to determine whether Cal Poly students or organizations were involved, and we will respond appropriately to all violations of health and safety guidelines. This includes holding accountable any students who receive citations from any police agency this morning via our Student Code of Conduct (which prohibits students from violating local, state, or federal laws)."
Cal Poly Media Relations Director Matt Lazier
Cal Poly's Vice President of Student Affairs Keith Humphrey also shared a disappointed statement on his Facebook page stating, "Gatherings like this are always inappropriate, but especially so during the pandemic. Quite simply, this selfish act of privilege puts everyone they come into contact with at risk for the next several weeks and potential spread of COVID-19 could compromise student activities returning in Spring quarter."
He concluded by urging any students who participated in the gathering to quarantine themselves for 12 days to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus.
