By Julia Sarcinelli
On Monday, during the Boston Marathon, six FSU students were arrested for public drinking and disorderly conduct, according to a statement by the Framingham State University Police Department (FSUPD).
Additionally, two students were taken into protective custody.
Approximately 600 people were celebrating in the area of Waverly and Winthrop streets along the marathon route, according to the Framingham Police Department (FPD).
Five people were arrested on Conant Road from 12:22 to 1:14 p.m. Two were arrested for disorderly conduct and three for public drinking, according to FPD Lieutenant Patricia Grigas.
FSUPD said the students who were involved “may be subject to sanctions through the student conduct policy.”
The FSUPD statement also said the students were arrested in the area of Winthrop and Waverly streets where many students were “leaving a considerable amount of trash and debris in the area.”
On Monday night, the FPD posted on their Facebook page, “The men and women of the FPD were able to keep our part of the Marathon route relatively problem free, with exception to the enormously large FSU party with hundreds of intoxicated students. Unfortunately, several arrests had to be made for drunken disorderly and public drinking. Quite a mess left behind.”
The post included a photo of a large group of people standing outside of a house and another photo of a street with trash lining the sides of the road.
The post was taken down by Tuesday.
Amelia Foley, a senior, said she attended the party. She said, “People definitely shouldn’t litter ... but the students [were] looking for trash barrels.”
Over 60 people commented on the post. Framingham resident Amy Vitale tagged Framingham State University’s Facebook page in the comment section of the post and wrote she hopes “there will be discussions with your students on how they treated this town today.”
Dan Magazu, director of communications for FSU, said in an email, Patriots’ Day and the Boston Marathon “is a very uplifting and special event for our region, so it’s disappointing that off-campus parties involving our students have become an annual event, distracting local law enforcement from their important work of maintaining the safety and security of the course for runners and attendees.”
He added he believes “the large majority” of FSU students acted responsibly, but “unfortunately, these situations reflect poorly upon the entire University and diminish our standing in the local community.”
FSUPD said in a statement they were contacted by FPD on Monday for assistance with several house parties at off-campus locations that involved FSU students.
FSUPD helped with crowd control and keeping a clear route for the runners in Waverly and Winthrop streets, and several administrators were helping “to observe and assist with student behavior.”
According to the statement, “Several spectators spilled onto the route, interfering with runners.”
Amelia Cucinelli lives on Conant Road and said in a comment on the FPD Facebook post that the students tore holes in the fence lining the street and “didn’t care for anything they left behind or how they behaved toward the other marathon watchers.”
Cucinelli added, “This year has by far been the most out of control they have ever gotten. In past years, I don’t believe many arrests were made – the students behaved well and didn’t harass the runners or the marathon watchers, which they did both of this year.”
She wrote in her comment, “Patriots’ day is one of the best days of the year to be where I’m from. It’s a good time for all if we can respect it.”