South Boston residents are angry after countless fights broke out over the weekend when thousands of people packed Carson Beach as temperatures soared into the 90s across New England.
With the violence of the weekend still fresh, Francis Michalsky had to come see the aftermath for herself on Monday.
"This was totally unreal, totally unreal and totally uncalled for, I don't know what is happening with these kids these days," Michalsky said. "I was shocked when I saw, because I know exactly where this is, and I thought oh my God, I am down there all the time."
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Michalsky grew up in South Boston and says she came to Crane Beach all the time growing up. She says she can't ever remember a weekend like this past one.
"I was shocked when I saw it, absolutely horrified when I saw it, because that is not the neighborhood I grew up in," she said. "That is the reason I am walking down here today, I wanted to come down and see what was going on."
The State Police Association of Massachusetts said in a statement posted to social media that troopers were attacked as they tried to make arrests on Saturday. In total, state police arrested five people on Carson Beach, including two juveniles. Seven others were arrested in Revere on charges ranging from assault and battery of a police officer to resisting arrest.
Five more arrests were made Sunday, with one at Revere Beach and four at Carson Beach as troopers worked to keep the peace amid unruly and disorderly conduct from beachgoers.
"Last night, our members stood tall and again faced a relentless and unruly mob at Carson Beach," the state police union wrote Monday on Twitter. "Our members will continue to enforce the law. This isn’t just a reminder to those who participate but to the parents who’ve allowed their children to cause this mayhem."
Several defendants made their initial court appearances Monday afternoon, but the weekend's unruly crows have people concerned.
"We have to do something about it, obviously, because summer is coming and everybody just wants to have a good time, and be safe," one beachgoer said.
Michalsky says she also worries about what this past weekend's events might mean with the summer beach season just getting started, and beautiful weather forecast for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
"This isn't what I grew up with, and this is not what I want to see happen," she said.
Michalsky is hoping for a return to the beach she knows and loves.
"I am not going to let them take over, that's the way I look at it, it is my beach, I grew up here, not going to let them take over and let them take over a nice community and destroy the community and destroy our reputation," she said. "Because now people are saying, 'don't go to South Boston, look what happens there,' and that is not how the community is."
