An estimated 15,000 people descended on Isla Vista's Del Playa Drive Saturday for the annual party known as Deltopia. The non-sanctioned UC Santa Barbara spring break party turned into a riot with hundreds of law enforcement officers from Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties responding.
The incident became national news on Sunday, and is tarnishing the image of students at the UCSB campus.
Santa Barbara County 3rd District Supervisor Doreen Farr, whose district includes Isla Vista, says typically more than half of the people who go to events like Deltopia are visiting from out of town.
"More and more we see people that have no connection to the community that are just drawn, really not even to party I think, just to come and cause problems," said Farr. "They're coming in from all over the state and maybe even out of state, so I think that that is what has really lead to this deep lack of respect for the community, and for law enforcement, and for the people that live here."
A Facebook event page for Deltopia had nearly 13,000 invites, many sent to people living outside the area.
Supervisor Farr said UCSB student leaders are calling for a cultural change in the student community. She is talking with local law enforcement authorities, students and school administrators to prevent Deltopia from happening next year.
