9 people charged with misdemeanors for holding over 300-person Halloween party in NYC

Nine people were charged with misdemeanors and health violations after police shut down a Halloween party in New York City that had close to 400 people in attendance.

Police shut down the 387-person celebration at around 1 a.m. on Saturday in a Brooklyn warehouse near East Williamsburg, NBC News reported.

The New York City Sheriff’s office released photos of the event showing people tightly packed together where some people were without masks. 

10/31/20 @ 0100HRS: Deputy Sheriffs shut down illegal bar/party inside warehouse at 23 Meadow Street, Brooklyn: 387+ people violation of emergency orders, 9 organizers charged with multiple misdemeanors, Administrative Code, Health Code & Alcoholic Beverage Control Law offenses. pic.twitter.com/qKxvqRtpWt

— NYC SHERIFF (@NYCSHERIFF) October 31, 2020

Those who were charged in the incident were reportedly the party organizers who authorities say ignored city and state COVID-19 emergency mandates.

The party crack-down comes the same week New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said he sees a “worrisome” uptick in COVID-19 infections throughout the city.

The mayor also urged New Yorkers not to travel for the holidays amid a nationwide surge in coronavirus cases. 

“I have to urge all New Yorkers: Do not travel out of state for the holidays,” said de Blasio. “Do not travel to a state with a high infection rate. Do not travel to a country with a high infection rate.”

He further commented that it was “sad” that people would have to avoid seeing their loved ones. 

News of the Halloween party comes as the U.S. has recorded record one-day totals of coronavirus cases in the past week. On Friday, the U.S. confirmed over 90,000 new cases.