Local News
Dozens of “borgs,” or gallons of mixed alcoholic drinks, were confiscated at Broadway in the first half-hour of the celebration.
A woman pours champagne into the mouth of a member of the El Segundo Fire Department during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston, MA March 15, 2026. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe)
Seventeen people were arrested at South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, police said, as authorities cracked down on public drinking at the event that usually attracts nearly a million people to the neighborhood.
As of 7 p.m., 17 people had been arrested at or near the parade, Boston police said. The police spokesperson said they could not comment on the specific charges or provide any police reports.
The parade, which began at 11:30 a.m., took a different route this year, beginning at Andrew Square rather than ending there, the parade organizer Allied War Veterans Council announced last month. The adjusted route, which included a detour to honor the 250th Evacuation Day, also was predicted to improve crowd flow.
The MBTA, predicting that nearly one million people would attend the parade, ran shuttle buses from South Station to South Boston and skipped the Broadway stop “during certain times due to heavy crowds.”
Cracking down on public drinking, the MBTA Transit Police confiscated at least dozens of gallons of liquid, according to an image the agency shared on X. Within the first 25 minutes, officers confiscated more than 30 “blackout rage gallons,” or borgs, cans, and bottles at Broadway Station.
On Sunday, Transit Police shared images of a crowded Broadway Station.
Residents complain about underage drinking, public indecency
South Boston residents submitted complaints around the parade attendees to 311, including a large party, underage drinking, and public indecency. At 3:30 p.m., a neighbor at E Second Street reported a large party with loud music, and city 311 officials referred the situation to police.
Another report said that “underage drinkers have destroyed the path with empties and other trash” on First Street.
The image shared in a 311 report, which was referred to the Fire Department.
Another report asked police to respond to the alley near 64 Telegraph St. “to stop all the public indecency” including “people pissing on our property constantly.” The 311 report said they reported it to officers, who said they were responding to other incidents, the resident wrote.
Another 311 report including an image of people on a roof of a building, which 311 referred to the Boston Fire Department.
Boston officials had promised to crackdown after last year’s parade weekend saw incidents of violence and disorder. Earlier this weekend, officials warned there would be no tolerance for public drinking and cautioned partygoers against drink spiking.
Last year, 11 people were arrested — with 13 people total facing charges — stemming from behavior at the parade including public drinking, being a minor in possession of alcohol, destruction of property, disorderly conduct, assault and battery, resisting arrest, affray, disturbing the peace, and assault and battery on a police officer.
People party on a rooftop during the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston, March 15, 2026. – (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe)
Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.
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