
Fifteen arrests were made by Boston Police on Friday night in Boston’s North End, according to District A-1 Police Captain Kenneth Fong. The arrests continue the crackdown efforts by police on disruptive youth activity on summer feast weekends.
Charges were related to drug use, underage public drinking and trespassing. Those arrested were 16-20 years old, about half juveniles, mostly from Winchester, Wellesley and Lynnfield. There were no North End residents identified in the groups that were detained.
The North End arrests were made at Langone Park (Commercial Street), Salem Street and at the Eliot School lot on Charter Street. The St. Anthony’s Feast weekend event opened Friday on Endicott, N. Margin and Thacher Streets.
Last weekend, Boston Police made dozens of arrests (see details here and here) under similar circumstances coincident with Fisherman’s Feast weekend where teenagers were charged in neighborhood parks and open spaces. Boston Juvenile Court sentenced 28 youths to community service, a feast essay and an order to stay away from the North End. This Friday’s arrests also included drug charges which could result in more serious sentencing.
Police continue to spread warnings that such disruptive activity will not be tolerated. “The arrests are in response to numerous complaints from community members and neighborhood residents upset about young people drinking and disrupting, not only the feasts, but the peace and tranquility of the neighborhood. Clearly, those arrested either didn’t get the message or got it and chose to ignore it. Either way, the individuals arrested will hopefully behave better should they decide to attend future feasts or events in the North End,” said BPD District A-1 Captain Fong in a previous statement. BPD encourages residents to report all public safety issues to 911 where they can be dispatched to on-site officers.
See previous coverage of underage public drinking in the North End.
The beat goes on.
Cutillo park is still not being patrolled, people smoking and sleeping in there last night.
Did you call 911 and tell them? ThE police cannot patrol every park when there are so many kids congregating along the waterfront , near the Prado, in the Gassy etc.
Waiting for the blame the Saint Anthony Feast crowd to chime in.
Matt , last nite groups drinking in Charter st park , across from cemetary on charter st ….all night
last night people drinking behind langone little league filed
any ideas ?????
Call 911
Police officers did their job and now the white suburbanite teenagers can write about how they beat the system in their essay. Courts are real joke. Who is going to read the stupid essays. This doesn’t even equal a slap on the wrist.
Community service as well. In addition to the fact that their parents are now aware and hopefully address the issue. Kids drinking and being disruptive is not exactly uncommon. What is it you’d suggest for some high school kids being written up for presumably a first offense of drinking in public?
I’d suggest a stiff fine and something more substantial for the second offense. The community service is a placebo, an appeasement, a sham with no follow-up. None of the above will happen and will fall through bureacratic cracks. Money talks and will be more meaningful to the neglectful parents. As in a previous post, parents are dumping them in the North End in the first place.
Sad but true.