The mayor of Tampa on Monday expressed frustration over a growing number of videos emerging showing crowds of Buccaneers fans celebrating the team’s Super Bowl win while not wearing masks or practicing social distancing.
“It is a little frustrating because we have worked so hard,” Mayor Jane Castor said during a news conference. “At this point in dealing with COVID-19, there is a level of frustration when you see that.”
Days before the game, Castor put in place an order mandating people in the city’s downtown “Entertainment District” and in the “Event Zone” near Raymond James Stadium wear a face covering at all times. The order came with a fine of up to $500 for noncompliance.
“We are incredibly excited to host a fun and safe Super Bowl here in Tampa — but we need everyone to do their part,” Castor said at the time while implementing the mandate. “We want fans to feel confident knowing that when they come out to celebrate Super Bowl LV, they can do so safely in a city that takes this pandemic seriously.”
Yet hundreds of people crammed into packed bars and restaurants to watch Sunday’s game, many of them spilling into the streets once the Buccaneers had clinched a victory.
Photos and videos taken across South Tampa showed fans hugging and jumping all over one another, dancing in the streets, chanting and screaming with no masks on.
In Tampa's SoHo area, a cluster of maskless Bucs fans turn a celebration into a dangerous scene, as captured by our reporter. Officers get into the middle of the crowd, appearing overwhelmed before taking a person into custody.
Read live updates: https://t.co/cgoJswyYsr https://t.co/tsKUrxPgBL
— Tampa Bay Times (@TB_Times) February 8, 2021
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- Discussion
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Tampa mayor on maskless Super Bowl celebrations: Frustrating because we've "worked so hard" https://t.co/7SY7vSg2uq pic.twitter.com/T45KGdHTMG
— The Hill (@thehill) February 8, 2021
DeSantis on going maskless at Super Bowl: "I had to watch the Bucs win" https://t.co/BXJjve1spz pic.twitter.com/lz8CrYlwpc
— The Hill (@thehill) February 8, 2021
He's drinking Pepsi, which CLEARLY condemns him in the minds of all right-thinking people. https://t.co/Drw7nvmuMI
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 8, 2021
Ybor gonna Ybor https://t.co/lAMj5jEB7i
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) February 8, 2021
Mayor Castor is a Democrat in a sea of Trumpy Republicans. The Trumpies are not going to wear masks, social distance, avoid crowds and partying with people not living with them. They will continue to hamper all efforts to fight this virus.
Can’t wait to see what kind of jump in cases and deaths we will see this week and next. In PA our numbers had been on the decline.
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