At least 13 people facing charges, slew of ‘borgs’ seized during St. Patrick’s Day parade in Boston

BOSTON — At least 13 people are facing charges in connection with incidents at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston on Sunday, authorities said.

Nine people were arrested and four others will be summonsed to face a judge, Boston police announced after the 122nd annual celebration. They will also face charges of minor in possession of alcohol to assault and battery, public fighting, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, assault and battery on a police officer, and destruction of property in South Boston District Court.

One of the individuals is a juvenile, while the other twelve are adults, police noted.

An earlier start time for the 2025 edition of the parade was agreed upon by city leaders to help curb the public drinking and rowdiness that occurred during the 2024 event, but police still seized copious amounts of alcohol.

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The Boston Police Department showed off its efforts to curb underage and public drinking.

Officers shared photos of a slew of “borgs” that were seized from paradegoers.

A “borg,” also known as a blackout rage gallon, is a mixed drink made in a plastic gallon jug, generally containing water, vodka, and flavored drink mix.

The “borg” is a trendy choice among college students and also for Sunday’s festivities, with officers collecting dozens upon dozens of jugs filled with various colored mixtures.

“Alcohol has been seized due to underage and or public drinking,” the department wrote in a statement. “We thank the vast majority of those celebrating today for doing so in a safe and appropriate way.”

MBTA Transit Police also seized alcohol from St. Patrick’s Day revelers at Broadway Station.

“Some folks refuse to listen and follow simple rules,” the department wrote on X. “This is a small sampling of what Transit Police officers seized from people coming into the parade.”

The annual tradition celebrates the rich Irish heritage that permeates the city, and it also honors the day in 1776 when British troops left Boston after a lengthy attack during the Revolutionary War.

Since 1948, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council has been organizing the parade.

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