400 arrests at Gasparilla (Tampa, St. Petersburg: real estate, rent, crime)

[Tyryztoll]

Wow. Does this happen every year? Is it not as bad as it sounds?

400 Arrests Made at Florida's Annual Gasparilla Parade - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

[vistawright]

no this does not happen every year. the reason it happened this year is because all of the stuck-up snooty types who live near Bayshore bitched and moaned to anyone who would listen, and now Gasparilla is no fun anymore. memo to the snobs: if you don't want people urinating on your bougainvillea, don't buy a house near Bayshore! i don't understand. this event has been going on for more than 100 years. everyone knows it's a big free for all with lots of booze and hanky panky going on. if you don't want that in your front yard, why the heck would you buy or rent a home anywhere near Bayshore??????????

for crying out loud, Gasparilla is mellow and prudish compared to many of the festivals and fairs i've been to!

[saintpetegirl]

I think the police were cracking down this year. They wanted to clean it up a bit.

Police Officer Joseph Perrone meanwhile was more focused on catching individuals sneaking alcohol into the festival than the windy weather.

"There's zero tolerance," Perrone told the Times. "Nobody can come through here with alcohol. If you catch them early, you're not going to have as many problems later."

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Police in Tampa, Fla., say the number of arrests at this year's Gasparilla Pirate Festival was more than triple the arrest tally from the event in 2009.

Arrests up at Gasparilla Pirate Festival - UPI.com

[vistawright]

clean it up? it's not an orgy. it's a big block party with some drunk people having fun and a parade. it's one of the only times all year that Tampa (Tampanians?) lets its hair down. there was no need to arrest 20-year-olds for carrying a Solo cup full of beer. jeez.

[BucFan]

Rainy weather - probably would have been worse if it were a nice day.

As someone that goes to Buccaneer games all the time, it doesn't suprise me that Tampa residents can be pathetic, scum of the earth individuals. Seen in a lot at the Bucs games.

[saintpetegirl]

I agree that this event is a fun one. I've been to Gasparilla twice now.
And I didn't see anything overly crazy.

I kind of think of this as Tampa's Mardi Gras in New Orleans- and *that* is crazy.
Mardi Gras goes on for weeks, Gasparilla is 1 day.

Here's another article on the new rules:
Rain, new rules ease Gasparilla aftermath - St. Petersburg Times

It is what it is.

[tampaguy03]

Its nearly 3x as many arrests as in the past. They really cracked down hard with a zero tolerance policy for public urination, public drinking in the neighborhood streets, no coolers or outside alcohol. We went downtown this year instead of Bayshore area..saw lots of people with coolers, bringing their own alcohol(like us)....
And i realize this is a once a year thing, but when you have an event or festival IN A NEIGHBORHOOD where people live, it can be a nuisnace with all the drunks.
Like the mayor said, "if you want to party, 1) be of legal drinking age, and 2) party downtown"

PS - the Collective Soul concert was awesome in the new park along the River.

[Occifer]

Originally Posted by vistawright

memo to the snobs: if you don't want people urinating on your bougainvillea, don't buy a house near Bayshore! i don't understand. this event has been going on for more than 100 years. everyone knows it's a big free for all with lots of booze and hanky panky going on. if you don't want that in your front yard, why the heck would you buy or rent a home anywhere near Bayshore??????????

Yeah, damn those people for having a problem with drunks urinating and vomiting on their lawns, vandalizing their property, and having public sex in their neighborhoods. They should learn to respect the drunks rather than expecting the drunks to respect others and base their decision on where to purchase real estate on something that happens one day per year.

While Gasparilla has been going on for 100 years, it hasn't been the all out free for all that it is now for all of these years. Years ago, it used to just be a simple parade up Bayshore that was no different from any other parade. Gasparilla got bigger and bigger and more and more out of hand until the residents finally had enough. Tampa is not New Orleans and Bayshore is not Bourbon Street. Even New Orleans is strict about Mardi Gras partiers entering residential areas and they do not allow drunks to act out in residential areas. They aren't stupid enough to have their parades in neighborhoods.

Originally Posted by vistawright

clean it up? it's not an orgy. it's a big block party with some drunk people having fun and a parade. it's one of the only times all year that Tampa (Tampanians?) lets its hair down. there was no need to arrest 20-year-olds for carrying a Solo cup full of beer. jeez.

Sorry that you're incapable of having fun if you're sober. And the last time I checked being 20 and in possession of alcohol is a crime no matter where you are, so whether or not it was Gasparilla makes no difference. I'm sure you'd be the first one to call the newspaper and sue the city should your drunk 20 year old son/daughter do something stupid and get seriously injured or killed if you found the police didn't do anything to stop their underage consumption of alcohol when they could have.

[BucFan]

Decadent people have rights, you know.

[ozlo]

I have a feeling there hasn't really been a major increase in unlawful activities, but an increase in enforcement. The police depts. need to generate more revenue and want more funding from the feds.