Hoboken St. Patrick's Day parade canceled amid safety concerns

Citing safety and security concerns, the mayor of Hoboken announced today that the city will not be holding its annual St. Patrick's Day parade this year. According to officials, last year's parade was

News 12 Staff

Jan 14, 2012, 12:42 AM

Updated 4,652 days ago

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Citing safety and security concerns, the mayor of Hoboken announced today that the city will not be holding its annual St. Patrick's Day parade this year.
According to officials, last year's parade was followed by 34 arrests when people got out of control. Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer says there were reports of assaults and other alcohol-fueled incidents, and the city's police department and other security forces were not enough to control the crowds. After considering switching the parade to a Wednesday night, the event was canceled altogether.
While some feel canceling the parade's a good idea to maintain order, others are upset about the end of a city tradition. Business owners on Washington Street say they're worried because it means losing business, with bars typically opening at 9 a.m. on the day of the parade.
Mayor Zimmer says another event will be planned, but a decision has not been made yet.
Hoboken making changes to St. Patrick's Day parade