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Ybor City parade crowd not rowdier than usual

In an estimated crowd of 200,000, 93 were arrested, most for open container violations.

By Times Staff
Published February 14, 2005

TAMPA - Tampa police say underage drinking and open containers on Ybor City streets accounted for the majority of arrests at the Sant'Yago Illuminated Knight Parade on Saturday.

Police arrested 93 people during the Gasparilla night parade - 35 arrests during or before the parade and 58 arrests after the parade.

Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin said this year's night parade crowd of an estimated 200,000 wasn't any rowdier than last year's.

"You're always going to have that small percentage of individuals that are going to cause trouble and drink to excess," Durkin said. "And it was very clear, preparade, that open containers were not allowed."

In the arrests made during or before the parade, police said 10 were adults arrested for open containers, disorderly conduct or possession of marijuana and possession of alcohol; 23 arrests were for possession of alcohol by individuals younger than 21

There was one juvenile arrest for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, and one juvenile arrest for possession of alcohol.

After the parade, police said they arrested 53 people, including three juveniles, for having open containers.

The remaining five arrests after the parade were for unspecified felonies.

[Last modified February 20, 2005, 10:57:32]