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Friday, March 29, 2024
The Observer

Revelers ejected from DeBartolo

Approximately 40 to 50 students carrying a banner, playing instruments and singing in a makeshift St. Patrick's Day parade Wednesday were ejected from DeBartolo Hall and North Dining Hall, some receiving citations from Notre Dame Security/Police, said students and University officials."I don't know how we came up with the parade," said senior Paul Daday, who organized the unofficial event with his housemates at 609 St. Pete Street. "We just came up with the idea and it sounded like a lot of fun, and we wanted to get our friends involved."Participant students said they began their parade around 11:15 a.m. on St. Peter's Street and made their way to campus via Route 23 and Notre Dame Avenue. Led by a banner that read "parade" and accompanied by four trumpets and a saxophone, the marchers were "singing, dancing [and] singing the fight song," said senior Chele Carney, one of the five musicians. When the revelers extended their march into DeBartolo, however, they were thrown out from the building - twice."I probably expected to be shooed out," Carney said, citing the fact that classes were underway.The group first entered DeBartolo through the doorway closest to the Mendoza College of Business, and they reached the middle of the building before being asked to leave, Carney said. The parade then proceeded outside and circled around to the most frequented student entrance, Daday said, where they stopped and played for an enthusiastic audience."Everyone was singing along and cheering," Carney said. "It was really cool."When the rowdy paraders decided to re-enter DeBartolo, however, they were ejected for a second time, and NDSP officers arrived on the scene."We did answer reports over there," said NDSP director Rex Rakow. "I know there were people with open alcohol containers.""We got names and we'll forward them on to ResLife," Rakow said, adding that NDSP did not file a report about the incident.Senior David Harmon was one student given a ticket for drinking out of an open container."The cop came up behind me and grabbed my arm and took my beer and brought me over to his car," Harmon said. "He was pretty nice about it."Harmon said he knew of another student who also received a citation for the same offense. While Carney said many parade participants had consumed alcohol before the march began, she said very few were drinking during the actual procession."I'd say not the majority [were drinking during the parade]", Carney said. "Maybe five or six."Despite the clash with NDSP, however, a splinter group of paraders continued on to North Dining Hall."About half the group got left behind," said senior Will Fayen, who continued with the parade to the dining hall - where their reveling resulted in ejection once again. The students said that, after entering the dining hall somewhat rowdily, they were warned to calm down."When we got to our table, one of the managers said we were fine and would not get in trouble as long as we kept quiet," Daday said.Although students said they believed they altered their behavior, another staff member approached them and asked to see ID cards. Students said they refused, an altercation ensued, and they were told to leave the building."There were some students that came into the dining hall that were very disruptive and intoxicated," said Dave Prentkowski, director of food services. "They were asked to leave by the management staff."He said students are rarely removed from the for intoxication, especially during lunch."In 13 years, I've never seen it at noontime before," Prentkowski said.The parade then dispersed, but students said they still considered the event a success despite the difficulties they encountered with security."I've always loved parades, since I was like four, and this was my first chance to be involved in one up close," Fayen said. "I think it should become an annual tradition."