Green-clad revellers have kept St. Patrick's Day celebrations relatively tame in London.
It was a slow start to the day on Richmond Row with partiers slowly trickling into the downtown around noon on Friday. House parties, with tunes cranked, began to sprout up around the same time in neighbourhoods around Western University and Fanshawe College.
London police say they did have to break up some keg parties.
Shortly after 3pm, police tweeted they were shutting down a large gathering on Ridout St., near Kent St. Earlier in the day they pulled the plug on parties on John St. and Broughdale Ave.
Don't bother coming, we're breaking this one up #dontinviteus2urparty #ldnont pic.twitter.com/EeDNf7mT6v
— London Police ON (@lpsmediaoffice) March 17, 2017
Leading up to the Irish holiday, London police were monitoring social media for chatter about any big bashes planned for the day. Using their popular hashtag #dontinviteus2urparty, they warned of the consequences of selling alcohol illegally, and being intoxicated or urinating in public.
Throughout the day, police also tweeted reminders not to litter, have open alcohol on the street, or go "brewfing" - drinking on rooftops.
At about 4pm, Middlesex-London EMS noted an increase in calls for intoxication-related issues, while earlier in the day the London Fire Department dismantled a makeshift party tent outside of a downtown house party.
Around the same time, officers responded to a residence on Ridout St. after one person, who had been drinking at a party, fell down an embankment. Police say fire crews and EMS attended the scene. The partygoer was taken to hospital with a possible head injury that is not believed to be serious.
An increased police presence and quick response to rowdy parties was aimed at preventing a repeat of the 2012 Fleming Dr. party turned riot that saw more than 1,000 booze fueled partiers hurling objects at police and setting fire to a TV news truck.
