This year’s Westchester Summer Jam event drew in large crowds Saturday night despite being deemed shutdown by Ossining police.
Authorities say the event billed as both a "protest" and "music festival" was in direct violation of COVID-19 social distancing and mass gathering restrictions.
Although the event was much smaller than expected, officers say it was "well in excess of the governor's orders.”
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Ossining police told News 12 that they canceled the event Saturday afternoon and attempted to spread the word on their Facebook page.
However, videos soon surfaced that showed people gathering at Louis Engel Park.
“I get that people are super anxious, they want to get out,” said John Hyde, of Ossining. “But you know this is a very tight waterfront. There’s not enough room for people to spread out safely.”
After an outcry on Facebook about the event still taking place, Ossining police released another statement saying that power had been turned off at the stage, but that the organizer showed up with his own generator.
LNAO Media, which hosted the event, tells News 12 that they handed out masks during the protest and stressed the importance of social distancing.
Ossining police have since communicated that the concert promoter will face consequences and that tickets are expected to be issued.