The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Was Slightly Less Rowdy Than Years Past

Onlookers gathered on the hills of Thomas Park to watch the parade pass.

As far as Irish celebrations go, this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade was relatively tame compared with that one time when a man was arrested for allegedly kicking a woman in the throat, and more than two dozen people had to show up in court and face charges for various crimes, aka, last year.

“I can only address the number of arraignments, which can be lower than the number of arrests if arrestees are bailed for later dates. That said, only 10 cases were called in South Boston court today as opposed to about 30 last year—a very significant decline,” said Jake Wark, a spokesman from the Suffolk District Attorney’s office.

As of Sunday night, Boston Police reported that they handed out 293 citations for public drinking along the parade route, and arrested five people during the event.

Two of those arrests were for disorderly conduct, while the other three were for public drinking, police said. “The vast majority of those who attended [the] parade did so in a fun and safe manner. We thank you for celebrating responsibly,” police said in a statement, noting the vast difference in the number of arrests made and citations written up in 2013.

Last year, Boston Police reported that they slapped cuffs on 26 St. Patrick’s Day revelers, and issued around 336 tickets to parade-goers caught drinking openly in public.

Then there was this guy, who really go out of line following last year’s gathering in South Boston:

Among the more graphic incidents, transit police reported arresting a guy for kicking a woman in the throat because she wouldn’t go to a bar with him after the parade.

The decrease in parade problems could be the product of stepped up police forces at this year’s celebration. That, or people decided to partake in the adventures along the promenade with a bit more caution.

Of the 10 defendants arrested by Boston or State Police on Sunday, most were released on their own recognizance, except for two alleged suspects whose bails were set at $500. “Three more defendants who were arrested only for disorderly conduct and who had no or minimal records had their cases dismissed on the condition that they perform 40 hours of community service,” Wark said.

Two of the defendants arrested were not arraigned because they didn’t show up to court as advised—(too hungover?)—so a district judge issued warrants for their arrests.

Until next year, Boston.