Police in Boulder, Colorado, are investigating after several police officers were injured after responding to a large party near the University of Colorado campus on Saturday night.
Hundreds of people gathered in a neighborhood west of the campus, according to photos and videos taken there.
The university said in a tweeted statement shortly after 10 pm that it was aware of the meeting and warned that people in the area could be subject to arrests and school sanctions.
A SWAT team was finally called into the area, with officials estimating up to 1,000 people at the site, according to 9News in Denver.
The glass is absolutely everywhere on the street. Cars run over empty bottles of vodka and shatter them. Most people left now after the Boulder Police showed up # 9News pic.twitter.com/Xy4PNzVV3N
– Marc Sallinger (@MarcSallinger) March 7, 2021
It looks like there’s a maskless party on the hill in Boulder. To look horrible, horrible, when we are so close to the end of the pandemic. @CUBoulderPolice @boulderpolice can something be done? pic.twitter.com/UIyD6Gsbhr
– Ben Berman (@benfromsf) March 7, 2021
The school said it had received reports from a police officer who was injured while the police tried to disperse the large concentration.
“We are aware of a big party at University Hill on Saturday night and reports of violence against police officers who responded to the scene,” the university said in a statement.
“We condemn this conduct. It is unacceptable and irresponsible, especially in view of the volume of training, communication and enforcement that the campus and the city have dedicated to ensuring compliance with the public health orders COVID-19 ”, he added. “CU Boulder will not tolerate any of our students being involved in acts of violence or damage to property.”
Police said three members of the SWAT team were hit with bricks and an emergency response vehicle was damaged during the chaos. Authorities are analyzing footage of the police while investigating the violent acts committed by members of the crowd, local media reported.