CU Boulder Students Pick Up Mess Left Behind From Violent Party On University Hill
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - A party on University Hill in Boulder got out of hand Saturday night. Hundreds of unmasked students partied in the street near 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Students were seen tossing garbage, breaking university COVID-19 protocol and damaging cars parked on the street.
"No one was trying to do anything harmful. It's the cops that were trying to harm us," said a group of unidentified students who vow to CBS4 they weren't involved, but saw everything. "It's sad, but when kids are locked up for months they act like animals."
"The car is totaled, but it doesn't (expletive) matter," said another student who assessed the damage afterward.
It did matter to one group of friends. They were at home and when the crowd dispersed. They decided to get together to help their community.
"We kind of saw everything on like Snapchat and Instagram so we thought we would just kind of come out here and pick up because we felt bad," said one young man who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from partiers.
He says he drove up from Highlands Ranch and met up with friends who go to the University of Colorado Boulder, but weren't at the party to clean up. He says they were disappointed in their peers.
"You're acting like you're throwing a fit. You're acting like a child."
He said he was enjoying the impromptu volunteer work and hopes he and his friends are leading by example.
"I feel like I'm doing something good and hopefully this will rub off on someone else."
It also mattered to the University of Colorado Boulder and the City of Boulder. They say police officers were hurt in the melee and that partiers put Boulder residents at risk of catching COVID-19. They promise to hold people accountable.
"The City of Boulder condemns the behavior of those who organized and attended last night's party and will seek the strictest consequences; legal economic and when relevant academic," said Sarah Huntley, a spokeswoman for the city.
Regardless of their efforts the damage is done and substantial. Much more than these friends can clean up. Still, some of their peers say this was bound to happen because of the restrictions the University of Colorado has put in place to try to stop the spread of COVID-19.
"When we are all caged up for months you now there is going to be an explosion, and this was the explosion," said one student.
Investigators are urging people who attended the party to come forward and turn over any video or photos they have. People are urged to use the online Evidence Submission Portal.
