Campus chaos: Thousands pack streets around Western University for homecoming

Thousands of students packed Huron St. and Broughdale Ave. on Saturday for Western University’s homecoming.

On Broughdale Ave, barricades kept students to the sidewalks, and on Huron, officers kept directing the young people away from the middle of the road for emergency vehicles.

When CTV arrived, London Middlesex EMS was using the “mega mover” to carry a patient out of Broughdale Ave., while paramedics were tending to another person who fell hard on Huron St.

London Middlesex EMS carries a patient off Broughdale Ave. in a “mega mover” during off-campus Western Homecoming festivities (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

“We haven't had any major incidents as of right now,” Sgt. Sandasha Bough of the London Police Service (LPS) told CTV News around 3:30 p.m.

“We can say that we've had to take a couple of people out and paramedic services have assisted with that. We have roads closed temporarily.”

Helping LPS were members of Hamilton Police, Windsor Police and Peterborough Police. London police reportedly added extra officers and auxiliary officers to “ensure public safety.”

Across campus, striking members of CUPE Local 2361 set up command right outside Alumni Stadium.

With thousands attending the Western football game against rival Queen’s, CUPE decided a high traffic area was a good place to set up shop to spread their message to those entering the stadium parking lot.

Inside the packed stadium, it was a happy homecoming for the Mustangs football team and their fans. They hammered Queen’s 39-14.

The student section was packed at Alumni Stadium as Western beat Queen’s 39-14 during homecoming weekend (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

Prior to the game, the latest inductees to the Mustangs Hall of Fame were honoured on the field.

“My wife and I, we traveled up here from Florida to be to this game, and we wouldn't miss it for the world,” said Jamie Bone, the starting quarterback for the Western teams which won National Titles in 1976 and 1977.

He called Western Homecoming one of the “great experiences in college football.”

“Western is always dear to my heart. It is always endearing to our family because my son [Stevenson Bone] played here, my daughter [Robin Bone] did the track and field here. It really is a true homecoming when we come back.”

LPS said that they will have statistics in terms of charges laid, injuries, and more after the weekend is wrapped up, on Tuesday.