'It was crazy': UVic Halloween party videos show hundreds of partygoers, property damage

The University of Victoria campus was the scene of a huge Halloween party Saturday night.

A video of the party has been posted to a public Instagram account, showing an estimated 400 people descending on UVic for a planned Halloween party.

It was a party that the university itself had no plans of hosting.

"We were both there this weekend," said Holly Carver as she stood with her fellow UVic classmate, Radin Farvargan.

The partygoers describe the situation as complete mayhem.

"Oh, it was crazy," said Carver. "It was ridiculous and there were fights breaking out too, and you couldn’t really move."

"There were so many random faces there that you haven’t seen before," she added.

There were random faces because, according to the pair of partygoers, UVic has become known as a destination to party on the Halloween weekend.

"My friends from Calgary, actually I’m from Calgary, they flew down this weekend to come here for Halloween," said Carver.

"I know friends who have travelled from different parts of the country just to come to UVic for the Halloween parties," added Farvargan.

POLICE ARREST ONE

The party kept Saanich police officers busy until around 3 a.m. There was public drunkenness, resulting in one arrest.

"One in particular that had to be transported to hospital for her level of intoxication," said Saanich police Const. Markus Anastasiades.

Another partygoer fell from the top of a sign he had climbed.

"I think he fractured his hand," said Farvargan.

"Oh yes, he ended-up going to the hospital," said Carver.

Videos also show vandalism resulting in the destruction of a bathroom.

As of Monday, UVic had not asked Saanich Police to investigate any offences that occurred at the party. However, Saanich police are investigating a sexual assault that happened on campus during the same time period that the party was underway.

"So certainly, that’s an aspect that our investigators are going to be looking at," said Anastasiades.

"Whether the people involved were either people on campus or from off campus," he said.

The university, in anticipation of a Halloween disruption, had put in place a "no guest policy" spanning from Oct. 28 to Nov. 1.

In a statement to CTV News on Tuesday, the University of Victoria said: "The irresponsible and unsafe behaviour of young people in large unsanctioned gatherings on the UVic campus is unacceptable to us as a university community and to our neighbours."

It went on to say that since September, campus security has increased the number of weekend staff. As well, it has hired additional special-duty officers to help manage public safety.

The university did not say if any more changes will be implemented following this Halloween weekend party.