Rowdy Halloween Pub Crawl In Hoboken: 9 Arrests, 102 Summonses

HOBOKEN, NJ — Yet another pub crawl brought fights, drunken driving, public urination and general pandemonium to the Mile Square City last weekend, authorities reported.

A Halloween weekend pub crawl at several bars on Saturday night ended with nine arrests, 102 summonses and a massive police presence throughout the city. Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante said 15 people were taken to local hospitals; none were seriously injured.

A pair of people were arrested for fighting on Washington Street and charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct. Another arrestee, a 24-year-old Clifton resident, was charged with DWI after he allegedly drove on a pedestrian walkway between Pier A and Pier C parks, police stated.

Other arrests involved marijuana possession and a woman who refused to stop “screaming” at a man on Newark Street, police said.

Overall, police cited 62 drivers for moving violations – including an e-scooter DWI – and issued 40 summonses for drinking or urinating in public. There were no reports of sexual assault or injuries to officers, authorities said.

None of the arrestees live in Hoboken. According to Ferrante, two came from New York, two came from Jersey City, and others came from Clifton, Burlington, Lyndhurst, North Bergen and Highlands Lakes.

Hoboken officials commended police for their efforts.

"Thank you for your professionalism in always keeping Hoboken safe," Councilwoman Emily Jabbour wrote. "We are grateful for your service to the community - particularly on such a demanding night."

"Thank you for your efforts in keeping the chaos in check and Hoboken residents safe," Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher tweeted.

As in the past, Ferrante provided a running commentary on the night’s activities on Twitter.

“Last night during the 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. period, we had an extra 50 Hoboken Police Department officers on the streets,” Ferrante wrote. “With the regular deployment, there were approximately 80 officers patrolling at that time. Those officers responded to 239 calls for service in those eight hours.”

For the sake of comparison, there are about 100 calls for service on an “average” Saturday night, Ferrante said.

Hoboken has become a hotbed for pub crawls in recent years, along with the headaches that often come with them. In addition to other Halloween pub crawl fiascos, police have struggled with booze-fueled fights and public drunkenness during Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day-themed events.

Many local residents and visitors have not taken kindly to what’s becoming a common scene in Hoboken.

“I'll never forget explaining to my crying child, 'That wasn't Santa throwing up,’” a disgusted parent said after the SantaCon pub crawl of 2017 ended with 17 arrests.

• See related article: Hoboken Sees Boozing, Brawling, Urinating Santa Invasion
• See related article: Another Wave Of Holiday Arrests In Hoboken For Halloween 2018
• See related article: Hoboken Leprecon Boozefest Ends With 15 Arrests

After last weekend’s arrests, Councilman Mike DeFusco pushed for more regulation of pub crawls in Hoboken, such as an ordinance he proposed earlier this year that would have required organizers of the events to register with the city and pay for cleanup and security costs.

“When rowdy pub crawls are allowed in Hoboken without any regulation, we’re putting the financial benefits of local bars and club promoters over the quality of life of our residents,” DeFusco stated. “As I’ve long said, if the administration is going to allow pub crawls in Hoboken, taxpayers shouldn’t be paying for enforcement and cleanup.”

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