Massive pool parties being held in Prince George's County amid pandemic
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - The world is in the middle of a pandemic and people are getting sick every single day. But that hasn’t stopped massive pool parties from being held in Prince George’s County, including on several occasions last week.
“I can’t say I saw five people with a mask on, and you know, it’s ridiculous,” Magic 102.3’s DJ Dirty Rico told FOX 5 Wednesday. He’d commented on a video of one of the parties posted on Instagram. It showed hundreds of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder. “If my grandmamma was to watch that video she would say, ‘stay your behind home. Do what you got to go do, don’t do what you want to do.’”
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The venue belongs to former Maryland State Senator Tommie Broadwater. It’s called Broadwater Mansion. Messages left for the family weren’t immediately returned.
Prince George’s County Police released a statement, saying they broke up big crowds at the mansion twice last weekend. Police also said that the Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement, as well as the Health Department, will likely issue citations as a result.
But that may not be the end of the story. In addition to the videos that can be viewed online, there are also flyers posted advertising parties still to come.
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FOX 5 called a number listed on one of the flyers. The man who answered identified himself as an organizer of the “Mansion Pool Party” that advertises “Superstar Cabanas” for $1,500. He said social distancing would be enforced and added that only about 200 tickets would be sold. Problem is, right now in Prince George’s County, large gatherings can only have a maximum of 100 people.
“If you’re sitting up and you’re taking the time out to go and party and lollygag and hangout in certain areas, you’re not thinking about the rest of the world, you’re just thinking about yourself,” Rico said.
County officials said they’re exploring ways to pursue criminal penalties for these types of parties, whereas right now it’s only a civil offense.
County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is expected to address the issue at a COVID-19 press conference previously scheduled for Thursday morning.
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