Party like there’s no pandemic: Hundreds of revelers without a mask fill the streets of New York with plastic cups and there’s no social distance until 4 in the morning, and the cops can’t do anything.
- Hundreds of people filled the streets of Queens on Friday night to celebrate
- Those gathered seemed to ignore the patterns of social distancing.
- Video released early Saturday morning shows revelers dancing and playing loud music
- The area is not one of the city’s designated ‘open streets’, designed to allow New Yorkers the space to wander and create social distance.
- The parties have lasted for weeks until 4 in the morning.
The streets of Astoria in Queens, New York were crowded on Friday night with partying people without a face mask in sight.
The video recorded and posted online shows crowds of revelers holding drinks in hand and mingling closely with each other, with the coronavirus pandemic seemingly out of mind.
The music was packed with fireworks and flares at one point, making the scene more like Miami Beach than a New York City district.
Hundreds of people filled the streets of Astoria, Queens, New York on Friday night to celebrate
It didn’t seem like someone was observing patterns of social distancing while away
Astoria’s main street, Steinway Street, was so crowded that it was practically impossible for a NYPD police car with its flashing lights and siren blasting through the crowd.
At one point, the patrol car used its loudspeaker to signal people to get out of the way, but did little to prevent a man from climbing over an ice cream truck.
The crowd responded cheering and laughing before making a way for the cruise ship to lead.
The unmasked parties have been going on for about two weeks according to one resident.
A man decided to jump on top of an ice cream truck, to the left. Crowds filled the sidewalk and spilled onto the road, to the right
Although there were a few tables set for dinner, most people simply walked the streets with drinks in their hands.
Restaurants in the area recently reopened for alfresco dining in phase 3 of the coronavirus lockdown reopening, but New York Governor Cuomo is now restricting places to serve only alcohol and explicitly requires that food be served together.
Restaurants that do not comply with state rules will be mandated “three strikes and you are closed.”
Such rules seemed to make little difference to those gathered on Friday night, and many people managed to get their drinks from drivers who sold alcohol in the back of their cars.
Is anyone going to do something about it? asked a twitter user @vodkapond tagging Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio of New York.
The scene seemed more like Miami Beach than Astoria, Queens
New York police officers were also seen standing on a street corner without masks as people passed by.
The NYPD told the New York Post that they were onstage at 12:30 a.m. and that officers issued multiple verbal orders for the crowd to disperse. The crowd left without incident.
The Department said they issued 20 citations for double parking and bus stop violations, but that there were no fines for violating social distancing guidelines.
‘Maybe they are comfortable because nobody tells them to do anything. I don’t know what they are thinking. I’m just trying to run a business, ” said John Zorbas, who runs the Brik restaurant, which had dozens of people standing outside its doors.
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has said the scene will not be allowed to repeat
The streets of Astoria were completely full until 4 in the morning. The parties take weeks
‘We cannot control what hundreds of people are doing. We need help. Where is it going to come from? I do not know.’
William Crowley, spokesman for the State Liquor Authority, said it was clear that something needed to be done.
“We will take all necessary steps to protect New Yorkers during this public health emergency.”
“The primary responsibility for enforcing social distancing rests with the local government, in this case in New York City, and they must ensure activities like this that risk the transmission of COVID-19 not being allowed,” he said. Crowley.
The streets of Astoria were a complete disaster on Saturday morning after the party.
The streets needed proper cleaning after the all-night party along Steinway Street.
City councilman Costa Constantinides, a member of District 22 representing Astoria, said he was furious at the incident.
“There are businesses that, frankly, I think should be closed,” Constantinides told ABC7. “I already spoke to the governor and the mayor’s office today, and I said that their strikes had already been exhausted.”
On Saturday afternoon, Mayor de Blasio tweeted that the situation must change.
‘This is unacceptable. New Yorkers have made too many sacrifices to fight COVID-19. We can’t leave it now. We will be in Astoria and throughout the city tonight to make sure restaurants are doing their part to keep diners and workers safe. ‘
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