Following the Brule Run last week, two NMU students were charged and released from custody following alcohol violations.

On Monday, Nov. 11, the Gant Hall Brule Run took place at midnight, resulting in two arrests for obstructing police and drunk and disorderly conduct, according to NMU Public Safety. Housing and Residence Life officials said there was talk of canceling the event earlier that day due to student behavior leading up to the run.

NMU Public Safety police specialist Guy LaPlante said abuse of alcohol led to a more aggravated atmosphere during this year’s run.

“I was there the evening this occurred,” LaPlante said. “The presence of alcohol had a big impact on this tradition in a negative form.”

In a statement from a 2008 North Wind article, the Brule Run is an event which takes place following the first snowfall of the year that sticks to the ground for 24 hours.

Following this, the residents of the all-male house, Brule, remove their clothes and streak around the Gant/ Spalding courtyard.

According to Housing and Residence Life, the tradition has taken place since the early ’80s.

The disruptiveness resulted in a rule change to the event, which shortened the run’s duration, according to NMU Housing and Residence Life, cutting down the event’s usual three laps to a single lap around the courtyard. While the event still took place and the duration of the run was done peacefully, LaPlante said it was not the way the event has been run in the past.

“[The change to a single lap] accompanies safety issues,” LaPlante said. “The turn of events was unfortunate to see, and it makes this run separate from [past] runs.”

In a comment to last week’s coverage on The North Wind website, a former Gant Hall resident adviser who chose to remain anonymous said while the conduct of the Brule Run must be respected and respectful, the events last week may have been difficult to stop.

“This is too bad, but it isn’t something that could have been prevented,” they said. “As a former RA in that building, there was an understanding that the Brule gentlemen would be drinking in their rooms that night in preparation of the event and you were told to just let them be as long as they didn’t get too out of hand. I love NMU and I love Gant Hall, but in order for this tradition to continue, drastic changes should take place and accountability must be had.”

According to Housing and Residence Life, no one was fired as a result of the incident. Both students who were charged declined to comment.