LANCASTER, Mass. According to the mother of the bride, it was a disappointing wedding celebration that turned from a “wonderful night” into a bitter disappointment when police dispersed the group.
LIV Golf brought the latest installment in its professional golf series to The International Golf Club, Bolton, Massachusetts. It was literally a pitching wedge on Jennifer Benoit’s property.
All it took was a simple call to the police from the golf club.
Benoit described Monday morning her mood as “upset”, one day after two Bolton officers visited Benoit and told her guests to go.
She said, “I’m really upset that this happened.” “Police walked onto our property and did that to our wedding guest,” she said. David, my husband, is furious.”
The family’s land borders The International Golf Club where the LIV Golf series is holding a tournament over Labor Day weekend.
Protests against LIV’s financial connection to Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, and their financial backer, were a major factor in the cancellation of the series.
Residents are concerned about the country’s human rights violations. Bolton is split over the tournament. Some residents think it’s beneficial for local businesses. Some residents don’t want a Saudi-backed event in their community.
Banners line The International’s entrance, the venue for the 2022 LIV Golf Boston Invitational. (Photo by Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette
The International was aware of previous protests at LIV tournaments and noticed that several tents were located near the course on Sunday morning. The club called Bolton police for assistance.
“The International Golf Club called to report trespassers. Warren Nelson, chief of police at Bolton Police, stated that they tried to restore peace.
Guests at the wedding celebrated in tents over night until Sunday morning. The tents were located in a wooded area of Benoit’s property within easy reach of the golf course.
Police arrived at Benoit’s property around 8 AM Sunday to tell those living in the tents they must leave.
My son-in law said that police were telling people to get out. Jennifer Benoit stated that police shaken the tents to wake people.
‘Simple misunderstanding’
This is how The International explained the events in a prepared statement.
“The International has strong relationships with its neighbours and this seems to be a simple misinterpretation. Our staff noticed tents in one of the wooded areas on our property, right next to the golf course, Sunday morning.
They did not know who was in the tents and followed all protocols. Officers met with the people and determined that they were campers from the previous evening’s wedding. The group left on their own accord, and they were not asked for permission to return.
“It is unfortunate that the family and their friends feel their morning was disrupted. But safety and security are our top priority. International reached out to Benoit family. We hope that all issues will be resolved soon.
Boundary confusion
Nelson says that the confusion stems from the difficulty of identifying the boundary between Benoit’s land and the golf club.
The wooded border is not delineated by surveyor markings. Nelson stated that the club was on alert for possible protestors and the club therefore called police.
Jennifer Benoit said she doesn’t buy it. She felt that the club could have performed a quick Google search to find the boundary and avoided calling the authorities.
Nelson explained that it was due to The International being cautious as they didn’t know anything about the wedding celebration. He also apologized to Joanna Benoit for the Sunday incident.
Formal apology required
Jennifer Benoit demands a written apology from The International and Bolton police.
She believes that the club’s request to police is “definitely connected” to its concern about protestors.
Jennifer Benoit stated that she doesn’t feel the LIV series coming into Bolton and Lancaster, as a large portion of the club’s property is within Lancaster’s boundaries.
Benoit stated, “I don’t like that the LIV tour’s here.”
Two reasons she objected to her concerns were Saudi Arabia’s history with human rights abuses and the inconvenience caused by numerous no-parking signs placed in towns by the LIV Tournament.
Security measures
Nelson spoke out about security measures in place for the tournament while he was standing outside Bolton Police Department Monday afternoon.
All visitors should park at the Bolton Fairgrounds parking lot in Lancaster. There, they will be security-screened before being allowed to board shuttle buses to The International. The International will not allow backpacks to be carried on its screening bus.
Near the point where shuttle buses are parked, there will be a designated area for protestors. The area will be monitored by the state police.
Nelson stated, “I am confident that we will have good security and traffic planning control.”
Jennifer Benoit, a mother of two, was able to plan the wedding celebration for her daughter. She married Jennifer Benoit in 2012 when the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible to have an in-person event.
Jennifer Benoit, who was hosting family and friends at the Benoit home, said that police ended hostilities early because they received a call from The International.
She stated, “Bottom line: you don’t get onto someone else’s land.”
Contact Henry Schwan at henry.schwan@telegram.com. Follow Henry Schwan on Twitter @henrytelegram
By: Henry Schwan
Title: Bolton police end wedding campout near The International as LIV Golf tournament approaches
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2022/08/30/liv-golf-news-boston-the-international-police-end-wedding-campout/
Published Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2022 20:50:26 +0000
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