More than 1 million people packed the streets of Boston to cheer on the Celtics during Friday’s victory parade, and while the affair was relatively peaceful, police made at least two arrests and the heat sent some fans to the hospital.
A city spokesperson put attendance at “well over 1 million” people at the late Friday morning rolling rally, which, while scheduled to take place after a heat wave that stretched through the majority of the week, still featured sweltering conditions that left dozens of attendees on stretchers, some with “heat-related illnesses.”
“Boston EMS treated and transported more than 30 patients associated with the event to area hospitals,” EMS spokesperson Erin Serino said in a statement. “Patient complaints included minor injuries and illnesses, including heat-related illnesses.
“With more than 80 EMTs and paramedics assigned to the event, we were able to provide first-aid level care at field medical stations, avoiding additional transports to the hospitals.”
Beyond the heat, others were treated for twisted ankles, cuts on feet and underlying medical conditions, a Boston Public Health Commission spokesperson said.
Sam Dillon, president of Boston Firefighters Local 718, said “heat is always a concern” and the fire union’s members “do their best to work under difficult conditions.”
Two parade-related arrests were reported by the Boston Police Department as of 6 p.m.
The first arrest was made on Tremont Street at 11:15 a.m. A 19-year-old man, Sean Geary, was charged with disorderly conduct and vandalizing property for allegedly climbing up a 15-20-foot-tall city light pole and standing on the banner holder stick, breaking the holder, and then proceeding to climb up another pole, a Boston Police report states.
A 22-year-old woman, Khadijah Abdurrashid Mccullum, was arrested on Boylston Street at approximately 2 p.m. for assault and battery and “affray,” or fighting in a public place that disturbs the peace. The victim, another woman, told police she was jumped by the suspect, who she reportedly had a long-standing “beef” with, the report states.
Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union, praised the “exhausted” officers who “put in a lot of forced hours this week in the heat,” including being on “out there, on their feet” throughout the day of the parade.
“This type of event doesn’t happen without the men and women of the BPPA,” Calderone said. “To only have two arrests says a lot about our patience, professionalism and understanding to our beloved Boston sports fans.”
By 4 p.m., Transit Police were “still dealing with large volumes of crowds at certain MBTA stations,” spokesman Richard Sullivan said, adding that details on T-related safety incidents and arrests would not be available until Saturday.
The parade began at 11 a.m. Celtics players and others rode duck boats, starting at TD Garden on Causeway Street, and proceeded to pass by City Hall Plaza and the Boston Common, before ending on Boylston Street by the Hynes Convention Center.
