London police say three men are facing charges in connection with a large house party on Mill Street, off Richmond Row, that saw roughly 100 attendees on Friday.
An 18-year-old man and two 19-year-old men are jointly charged with participating in an indoor gathering that exceeded 10 people and hosting an indoor gathering that exceeded 10 people, in violation of provincial orders introduced in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
All three are due in court Feb. 8, 2021.
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Police say they were called to several noise complaints over the weekend across the city, but only the Mill Street party and a separate gathering in the city’s northeast end appear to have been in violation of the province’s Reopening Ontario Act.
The gathering in the city’s northeast end remains under investigation.
The latest charges come less than a week after two men were charged in connection with a house party on Halloween weekend that drew over 100 people to a residence on Beaufort Street, a small side street off where Wharncliffe Road North becomes Western Road, on Oct. 30.
On Nov. 10, London police confirmed that a 23-year-old man is charged with hosting a nuisance party contrary to a city bylaw, as well as participating in an indoor gathering that exceeded 10 people and hosting an indoor gathering that exceeded 10 people under the Reopening Ontario Act.
A 24-year-old man is charged with participating in an indoor gathering that exceeded 10 people, under the provincial act.
Both have a court date scheduled for Jan. 25, 2021.
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“We are currently in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the repeated messages from community partners have been clear – do not host or attend large gatherings; limit in-person interactions; follow health and safety protocols; and find safe ways to connect with each other,” police said in a statement on Monday.
“The maximum number of people permitted to attend a non-business organized public event and/or social gathering is limited to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors.”
Londoners are also encouraged to email concerns about businesses or individuals in the city not following pandemic-related orders at [email protected] or call 519-661-4660. The phone line is monitored weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
“If concerns arise after 4:30 p.m., London police will assist in relation to investigations and potential charges,” police said.
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Coronavirus — London-Middlesex moving to yellow tier under updated provincial framework
On Nov. 9, Mayor Ed Holder stressed that compliance with guidelines has been excellent among businesses and in public spaces and so “it’s clear too many people are not following the rules and not following health protocols when they’re in private residences.”
“All Londoners, regardless of age, must pay mind. They must follow the health protocols in those private residences because it isn’t just a younger person problem.”
As of Monday morning, the London and Middlesex region has moved from green-prevent to the more restrictive yellow-protect tier of the province’s recently unveiled colour-coded COVID-19 response framework.
The change also comes amid a surge in cases reported in London and Middlesex in recent weeks, with at least 220 cases so far this month.
Across Ontario, new modelling numbers released last Thursday warned that Ontario could hit 2,500 cases per day at three per cent growth and around 6,500 a day at a five per cent growth rate by mid-December, according to government documents.
At that time, health officials said five per cent growth was an “optimistic scenario.”
— with files from Global News’ Matthew Trevithick and Jessica Patton.