Hundreds removed by police from gathering in rented NY mansion

Suffolk County, N.Y., police said they broke up a Long Island house party comprising of hundreds of people in the early hours of Monday morning.

Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone (D) said in a briefing that the house in question had been rented on Airbnb for the purposes of the gathering.

The homeowner, who was one of several people to call 911, had reportedly told the renters he had cameras in place that would record any violation of local occupancy limits.

“Fifth Precinct officers responded to the house where approximately 300 to 400 people were present,” a spokesperson for the Suffolk County Police Department said in a statement to NBC News. “The crowd started to disperse upon police arrival. The investigation is ongoing to determine who hosted the gathering.”

“I think it’s very important that people understand and the message is clear, that we are not going to allow people to skirt the Covid-19 public health rules by simply renting a home and thinking that you’re going to get away with it,” Bellone said in the briefing. “That’s not going to happen.”

It remains “critically important that people do everything that they can to limit those gatherings,” he added.

New York is one of 16 states that currently limits gatherings to 10 or fewer people.

Several sheriffs have said they will not enforce the order, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) recently announced no one would be prosecuted for flouting the directive for Thanksgiving.

The county was previously the site of a charity concert in July featuring the Chainsmokers, which was attended by more than 2,000 people.

Three months later, county officials warned a number of house parties with similar attendance as the Long Island gatherings were “superspreader events,” according to The New York Times.

Cameron told the Times no charges will be filed against the homeowner, who he said provided proof he had told the renter the gathering limit would be enforced.