More than 100 people in court after underage drinking crackdown at Country Music Festival

(NECN: Brad Puffer, Foxboro, Mass.) – Over 100 people arrested at this weekend’s Country Music Festival at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, faced a judge today. Most face charges of underage drinking; some parents are questioning if police overreacted. One after one, more than a hundred people came before a Wrentham judge Monday, most charged with underage drinking. This weekend’s Country Music Festival brought more than 55-thousand people to Foxboro. In a major crackdown, Police took into custody double the number of people as last year, clearly hoping to send a message after two young women died in a car accident leaving last years concert. Most here agreed to five community service appearances, an alcohol awareness class and $200 in court costs. These 19-year-old Canadians came down from Montreal where the drinking age is 18. “All of a sudden they asked for ID and we were in handcuffs.” Don Turner says he was arrested while drinking water on a blistering hot day. His older friends had beer in a nearby cooler. “I am extremely frustrated. I bought my tickets in January with three other buddies and all we were drinking was water.” Foxboro Police Chief Edward O’Leary says you can be arrested for even being near others drinking if you are underage.