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Party before Panda Game was a relatively tame affair on Saturday. But the partygoers gathered in Sandy Hill after the fight, tossing a stretch of Russell Avenue and turning a car into a street party that went past midnight.

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Residents on the street say they want answers to questions about police response to the incident, some call a “riot” and why officers were not more proactive in trying to disperse the crowd.

Samer Hamoudeh, who owns two units on the street, said partygoers jumped on the roof of a car and then turned it over several times before trying to dismantle it and turn on the fuel tank.

The car came to rest right in front of Hamoudeh’s property, where he had been standing to keep the festivities away. Cops “just stood there,” he said.

Jadyn Stallings, who visited her boyfriend who lives on Russell Avenue, said the street party was “scary”.

“People threw bottles and cans. People fell off the car. They threw rubbish on the road. “People were hit in the head,” she said.

Ottawa police estimated that 2,000 people gathered on Russell Avenue between Templeton Street and Somerset Street East.

The staff Sgt. Martin Groulx said police had deployed a significant number of officers to the area, which is notorious for its Panda parties before the Panda game.

“Everything was under control, so we reduced the police presence. The students gathered on the street, ”Groulx said.

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Nurses in Ottawa say they transported seven patients to the hospital to be treated for alcohol poisoning and minor injuries. None of the injuries are life-threatening.

Police later reported that a person was assaulted.

In a tweet Sunday, Mayor Jim Watson said police officers were among the injured.

“This kind of behavior is completely unacceptable, and those involved should be ashamed of their idiotic and immature behavior,” Watson tweeted.

No arrests have been made yet, but police are reviewing social media, video and other information gathered Saturday night.

“OPS and other city partners had a large presence all day Saturday for the traditional pre-Panda festivities,” the Ottawa Police Service said in a statement.

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“The events before and after the match were very safe and did not disturb the neighborhood. But just after 8 pm, large crowds began to gather in Sandy Hill at several addresses, “said police.

“OPS deployed a large number of officers and called members of the emergency services. Officers worked to control and manage groups of people with partners from the RCMP and city maintenance, paramedics and Ottawa Fire Services. ”

Meanwhile, police say investigators have been assigned to identify anyone who has committed crimes and will work with staff at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University where students were involved.

Fees may be levied under the Ontario Reopening Act, the Liquor Licensing Act, city bylaws, and the Criminal Code of Canada.

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Taraneh Bayat, who lives in the neighborhood, says the incident lasted from 6 p.m. 18.00 to 01.00. She wonders why it took the police so long to disperse the crowd.

Police did not issue a warning to the crowd or engage with the people who were on top of the car or damaged property, she said.

“The people who live in this neighborhood understand that the students want to celebrate. But some people fed the amount of energy. ”

A resident who asked not to be identified said she called 911 repeatedly, starting around 6 p.m. 19:15 Saturday night. She was disappointed when police officers arrived at the scene but did nothing but cordon off the area to keep the party contained and tell residents to enter.

Some residents remained outside to protect their property and were threatened by people in the crowd, she said. Although the area had been cordoned off at both ends of the street, partygoers arrived by walking through backyards and between houses.

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“All the residents asked (the police) to stop it,” she said. “They (the party people) acted with impunity.”

Earlier Saturday, a sanctioned BYOB tailgate party was held in the parking lot of Sandy Hill Arena with the goal of ensuring that the party before the game was contained and under the watchful eye of police, paramedics and statutory officers.

Partygoers had to drink legally and had to provide proof of full vaccination and photo identification. Those who had their vaccination certificate verified for the party could also skip the security line at the stadium later.

Rideau-Vanier Coun. Mathieu Fleury estimated that between 5,000 and 6,000 people attended the tailgate party before the game, and about 90 percent of them took the shuttle to the game.

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In the past, it has been pre-Panda street parties that have been a problem. Aftermath is typically not an issue because Panda visitors can participate in their selection of approved establishments, and the party is spread to entertainment districts around the city.

It’s unclear why a street party materialized after the game, though some who live on the streets speculate that the partygoers would post on an Instagram account called Canadian Party Life, which chronicles heady campus parties.

By Sunday afternoon, no pictures from the Russell Avenue party had been posted at Canadian Party Life.

On Sunday, Fleury said he will convene a meeting of the city and the dress committee he chairs.

Residents should take pictures of any damage, he said. If people have questions or concerns about the police response, they should email Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly and cc himself, he said.

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“I do not know the tactical approach. We did not know there would be an incident in the evening. ”

In a joint statement, University of Ottawa President Jacques Frémont and Vice President Academic Affairs Jill Scott told Sandy Hill residents that they regret the damage and the fear and anxiety caused by the incident.

The statement added that while the majority of students celebrated the Gee-Gees’ victory in a responsible way, the university supports that those responsible are treated through the justice system.

“Street parties without control are not a common feature of life in uOttawa, and we do not intend them to be in the future,” the statement said.

“We will work closely with the Ottawa Police Service, the City of Ottawa, student leaders and our civic and community partners to ensure that they do not repeat themselves. Although significant mitigation strategies were introduced before yesterday’s Panda Game – and worked well – as the evening events unfolded, they were clearly not sufficient. This is a tough lesson for all of us and we must learn from these events. ”

The future of the Panda Game should be lifted, Fleury said.

“I see the value of the sporting event. But everything around the sporting event creates quite a risk to public safety. ”

The U-O paid $ 200,000 to police for this morning’s tailgate party, Fleury said.

At what point does this really become the core of the university’s needs? Is it a good thing to have? Is it a ‘must’ thing to have? Is it, ‘We’ve been there, we can no longer’? There are serious questions that everyone needs to ask. ”