Tag Archives: Super Bowl

Philadelphia fans set fire, damage property after Super Bowl win

Fans celebrate the Philadelphia Superbowl LII victory over the New England Patriots in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania U.S. February 4, 2018.

(Reuters) – The Philadelphia Eagles’ first Super Bowl victory set off rowdy celebrations in Philadelphia as people who poured into the streets set at least one fire and damaged property early on Monday, images on social media showed.

Joyous football fans burst into jubilation in gatherings at bars and took their party into the streets, jumping up and down, setting off pyrotechnics and singing the fight song “Fly Eagles Fly.”

Some went further and ignited a fire in the middle of a street that firefighters soon extinguished. Other images showed a light pole tipping over and the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News website Philly.com reported smashed windows and toppled awnings.

Police in riot gear and on bicycles formed lines to control crowds and push people back, social media images showed.

Some people broke a display window at a department store near City Hall, and looters broke into a convenience store, grabbing merchandise and screaming, “Everything is free,” Philly.com reported.

Nearly all the light poles on one side of City Hall were toppled, and a car outside a hotel was tipped on its side, Philly.com said.

Philadelphia police and fire officials did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for information.

The Eagles, coming into the game as underdogs, defeated the five-time National Football League champion New England Patriots 41-33 in Minneapolis on Sunday.

In Boston, local media reported somber Patriots fans spilling out of local bars and heading home in the cold winter drizzle as temperatures dipped into the 30s (Fahrenheit).

“We haven’t had a single incident, thank God,” said a Boston police dispatcher.

Over in Amherst, Ma., State and University of Massachusetts police had more trouble as about 2,000 people flooded the streets near UMass Amherst and began throwing objects, setting off smoke bombs, fireworks and starting fistfights. The Boston Globe reported a number of injuries and that at least six people were arrested as police used pepper spray to disperse the angry fans.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta and Rich McKay; Editing by Toby Chopra)

Possible Fake Terror Attack Near Super Bowl

Hotels near MetLife Stadium, the site of this year’s Super Bowl, are on lock down after police discovered several letters mailed there that contained a powdery substance.

A letter was also mailed to the New York office of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

A law enforcement official said one of the envelopes is negative for any dangerous substance and was likely baking soda.

The Joint Terrorism Task Force and Hazard Materials units responded to multiple locations.

Hackensack University Medical Center received a handful of people for evaluation from various hotels but the powder had sickened no one.

Police said that they intercepted several envelopes in a mail truck before they were delivered to a Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn. Eight workers from the mailroom that processed the letters went through decontamination as a precaution.

Super Bowl Security Targeting Bomb Threats

New Jersey State Police are using the attacks near the Sochi Olympics site as a model for security for this weekend’s Super Bowl.

Law enforcement was quick to add they had no specific threats toward the Super Bowl that required bomb detection.

“Of particular concern to us is what was going on overseas in Volgograd in regard to the Sochi Olympics. As you know both of those bombings were targeting mass transit,” New Jersey State Police spokesman Rick Fuentes told reporters. “That is a concern with the mass transit; we’ve prepared ourselves for it.”

Officials have limited parking near MetLife Stadium forcing tens of thousands attending the game to use public transportation to arrive at the game site. The stadium has been locked down all week and people will travel at least 10 miles from New York City via public transit.

New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton told reporters that the city was using “advanced intelligence gathering operations” developed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Homeland Security At The Super Bowl

The strongest team at the Super Bowl this year won’t be the Denver Broncos or the Seattle Seahawks.

The department of homeland security has declared Super Bowl XLVIII a Level One National Security Event. This means that U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents will be working 24 hours a day to scan every truck, car or other vehicle that tries to enter the MetLife Stadium complex for any reason.

In addition, all individuals to the site will be checked as well.  Agents are looking for smugglers, drugs, terror activity or potential threats.

The agents will also have a mobile unit that will allow them to scan inside vehicles already inside the complex to search for suspicious items and contraband.

Kevin McCabe, chief of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency told Fox News that everything down to individual pieces of food will be scanned by his agents.

NYPD Announces Drastic Security Measures For Super Bowl

The site of 2014’s Super Bowl will have security that could remind visitors of a militarized zone.

The New York Police Department announced huge security measures that will surround the NFL’s biggest game of the year. Parking at the stadium will be limited to people who apply for a parking permit and get approved in advance. No one will be allowed to walk into the area of the Super Bowl. If you are not approved for a parking permit, you will have to ride an official transportation vehicle approved by the NYPD.

Helicopters with radiation detectors will be flying around and scanning the area before, during and after the game. The helicopters will also patrol the area of the stadium and New York during the week prior to the game.

Counter terrorism cars with 360 degree cameras, bomb dogs and video cameras mounted on buildings and electrical poles will be monitored 24/7.

The NYPD will also lock down Times Square, prohibiting auto traffic for the week before the game. Portions of Broadway and 41st street will be blocked off as well.