Disorderly behaviour escalated tonight in the Holylands as hundreds of revellers took part in a “street rave” on Palestine Street. Police and University officials looked on helplessly as young people sang and danced along with music blaring from one of the houses. It has been alleged that the house in question was not a student house.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE AND BRENDAN HUGHES

The “street rave” took place at the Agincourt Avenue end of Palestine Street, whilst the opposite end of the street was blocked by an ambulance.  The crowd sang ‘The Fields of Athenry’, the Irish national anthem and various chants, such as ‘We all live in the Holy Holylands’. It seemed that the ambulance was moved down the street in a futile attempt to disperse the crowd. Police officers then took the decision to run at the crowd, and this was successful in moving the revellers from the concentrated area, despite a defiant reprise of the Irish national anthem played on an electric guitar.

Shortly after the mob was dispersed, The Gown watched as police officers put an amplifier and guitar into the back of a police van. At this stage there was no music playing on Palestine Street.

Crowds cheered for one young man on Palestine Street who let off a fire extinguisher. Motorists attempted to dodge broken glass on the road, but many onlookers watched as tyres were punctured.

Student officers and University officials observed the chaos until late.

Across the Holylands, streets remain covered in broken bottles, glasses, empty beer cans, and an assortment of rubbish.

For more photos from the day, go to The Gown’s Facebook page.

From approximately 5pm, the Holylands became rowdier, with the alcohol intake inevitably taking effect. Crowds of revellers gathered outside houses on Rugby Avenue, Agincourt Avenue, Carmel Street, Jerusalem Street and Palestine Street, with Rugby Avenue arguably the worst. Young people took to the middle of Rugby Avenue for a rendition of ‘Rock the Boat’, which then turned into the Irish national anthem. One young man mooned in the middle of the street before being unsuccessfully chased by a police officer.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE

The Gown spoke to a few Belfast natives who had turned up to “see what they could see”. One man said, “It only takes one person. I think something is definitely going to kick off.”

Those gathered in front gardens were visibly drinking, whilst some took to sitting on first floor window sills, or even on roofs. When asked what they thought of how the atmosphere had progressed, one student said, “This is ridiculous.”

VP Campaigns and Communications, Gareth McGreevy, said, “It has been contained with very little violence and rioting. There was an incident earlier in which seven people wearing pyjamas had come up from the Ormeau Road with a Rangers jersey. They were walking down Carmel Street, shouting “Burn it! Burn it!” The students didn’t want them there, and the situation was sorted quickly.”

Many students expressed how good the police had been. One said, “It may have went too far at this stage, but the police have been really nice. I suppose nobody is doing any harm.”

Another student said, “If I was a resident I’d hate it. It’s a bit scary.”

To which her friend replied, “They should confine all the residents to one street just for today!”

For more photos from the day, go to The Gown’s Facebook page.

The University’s hope for a calm and peaceful St. Patrick’s Day looks set to succeed, as by early afternoon the Holylands remains relatively calm. From a walk around the area, stopping to speak to various revellers, The Gown learned that quite a few of those celebrating were not students at all. As is the case every year, groups of students are gathered in front gardens drinking. Police officers are patrolling the Holylands in groups, and student officers are encouraging revellers to spend their day in the Union.

BY CATHERINE WYLIE AND BRENDAN HUGHES

The majority of students felt that there would be no repeat of last year’s events, commenting on the fact that there was such tight security in the area. One student said, “It should be alright. There are plenty of police and last year was a good warning. Using students is a better control method. Police have the opposite effect. The police know that they were too assertive last year.”

However, another student wasn’t so sure about the calm atmosphere continuing, commenting, “If the police are heavy handed with one person then it will all kick off.”

One elderly resident said, “As long as it stays like this then it will be ok.”

An immigrant family commented that the daytime poses no problems at all. “At night I’d worry that we won’t be able to get any sleep because of the noise,” the man said.

After a slow start, more students appeared in the Students’ Union Speakeasy Bar as the afternoon progressed. The Union, which has helped organise the St. Patrick’s Day festival with University of Ulster, will be hoping to make big bucks tonight at its own party in the Union bars.

One student who chose to spend the day in Speakeasy, rather than the Holylands, defended the Union’s arguably hypocritical marketing campaign. Whilst the Union urges students to drink sensibly, it also offers drinks promotions and encourages students to ‘get twisted’. This student remarked, “The Union is making drinks cheaper for me today and that’s good. I’m not necessarily going to go out and riot though. It’s all about the type of person. Most of the people who live in the Holylands are from the countryside. If they’re caught doing anything worng then they should be thrown out of university.”

For more photos from the day, go to The Gown’s Facebook page.