A bush party attended by about 500 youths in southeast Abbotsford on Friday night was broken up by Abbotsford Police with the assistance of the Air 1 police helicopter, Chilliwack RCMP and the Integrated Road Safety Unit.
The party took place in Majuba Hill – a remote area where Chilliwack and Abbotsford boundaries meet near the U.S. border – and involved individuals between the ages of 15 and 25.
Abbotsford Police Const. Ian MacDonald said police were alerted to a possible party after receiving several phone calls complaining about noise and traffic in the area.
When police arrived on the scene at about 10:30 p.m., they discovered that a massive party was underway, and additional support was called in as a preventive measure.
MacDonald said the youths were in various states of intoxication, and police were told there was also drug use.
He said the helicopter was called in because it wasn’t evident in the dark and at ground level how far the party was spread out, and there were concerns that the partygoers would disperse into the bushes and possibly fall down embankments.
About 30 officers broke up the party without major incident.
The party was spread across social media with the hashtag #projectchilliwack, and police feared it could have grown larger as the night progressed.
“We were able to stop a crowd of 500 from (potentially) growing to a crowd of 1,500,” MacDonald said.
An Abbotsford Police Department 4x4 patrol vehicle had its back passenger window smashed.
Several partygoers posted photos and videos from the event on social media.
“Crazy night,” said one reveller.
“So how do we top this one?” wrote another.
One video shows a light for the Air 1 helicopter shining down on the crowd as they cheer wildly.
(Photo below: Partygoers look up to see the Air 1 police helicopter helping to break up a bush party on Friday night)
