Police grease poles at Villanova, promise felony charges for punching horses ahead of title game

Authorities at Villanova are taking a cue from Philadelphia police ahead of Monday night’s NCAA championship game against Michigan.

Anticipating a rowdy celebration if Villanova wins, officials on and around the Philadelphia-area campus have been greasing traffic poles. It’s a tactic Philadelphia police used to deter jubilant Eagles fans from climbing poles and risking injury and property damage during the Eagles’ Super Bowl run.

ESPN Eagles reporter Tim McManus spotted a greased pole near the entrance of Villanova’s campus Monday afternoon.

Lt. Chris Flanagan from the Philadelphia suburb Radnor police department told the Philadelphia Inquirer that he wasn’t sure if Crisco would be the grease of choice, but that authorities had indeed set a plan in place to lubricate poles around Villanova.

“I don’t know what they’re using, but some poor guy from Villanova has to smear it all over the place,” Flanagan said. “We just don’t want anybody falling, that’s the biggest problem.”

Crisco was used in Philadelphia for the Eagles’ win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC championship game. It didn’t work. Police resorted to other lubricants for the Super Bowl. Eagles fans still managed to cause a ruckus with some evidence of light poles going down and being climbed.

Flanagan also warned revelers from taunting or assaulting police horses, which is apparently something that needs to be said to Philadelphia-area sports fans.

“It isn’t funny to hit an animal anyways, but there are serious repercussions if you hit a police animal,” Flanagan told the Enquirer. “You’re not allowed to taunt them either.”

Police arrested four people for assaulting horses after Villanova’s 2016 national championship according to Flanagan, while multiple arrests were made for police-horse assault during this year’s Eagles celebrations.

Flanagan said that anyone assaulting a police horse would be subject to a felony charge.

So if you’re considering punching a horse around Villanova — or anywhere for that matter — Monday night or any night, please don’t. That’s not OK.

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