Fans set towels on fire, pull down traffic poles in Philadelphia after Eagles win Super Bowl
Philadelphia Eagles fans wasted no time flooding the streets of Center City to celebrate the Birds' stellar Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday night.
Though city officials urged fans to stay safe in the days leading up to the Super Bowl, Chopper 3 captured some of the havoc that broke out in the hours after the game ended.
At 12th and Market Street, video captured fans setting towels and sheets that were pulled out of a box truck on fire. Police were seen pushing back crowds and using fire extinguishers to put out the flames.
Nearby on 13th and Market, large crowds were seen pulling down traffic poles.
Video also showed fans setting off fireworks in the middle of crowded streets, though there have been no reports of injuries as of Monday morning.
Police were still working to disperse crowds around 1:30 a.m. Mounted officers and police on motorcycles blocked traffic on Center City streets, and at the same time many people in the city received an alert on their phones that read "Philadelphia Police order crowds to disperse and leave Center City streets. Follow instructions from Philadelphia Police on where to exit."
How many people were arrested on Super Bowl Sunday?
According to the latest numbers from Philadelphia police, 29 code violation notices were issued in the city Sunday night. Code violation notices include property and sidewalk maintenance fines, non-criminal personal misconduct fines and tobacco violations, the city's website says.
The department said at least five people were arrested during an assault on police and another four people were arrested on various charges: One person was charged with recklessly endangering another person, two were charged with aggravated assault and one was charged with disorderly conduct.
Eight vandalism incidents were reported: four on city sanitation department trucks, one at the Santander Bank on Walnut Street, one at the Free People Store on Walnut Street, another at Chase Bank on Walnut Street and one at Brooks Brothers on Walnut Street.
On Tuesday, Philadelphia police released the names of several people they arrested in the hours following Super Bowl LIX.
City offices, Philadelphia schools open on Monday
It was a late night for Eagles fans, but city offices and services will be open on Monday during regular business hours.
Trash and recycling pickup are also on their normal schedule.
And while some school districts are giving students a few extra hours to sleep in today, the School District of Philadelphia opened at its normal time Monday.
In a video posted last week, Superintendent Dr. Tony Watlington said the decision was made in part based on superstition.
"In 2018, when the Eagles went to Super Bowl LII and won against the New England Patriots. As I recall, we did not have a two-hour delay in the school district. The Eagles returned to the game five years later for Super Bowl LVII. That year, well, we did have a two-hour delay, and guess what? Unfortunately, the Eagles lost."
"And so, in keeping with the winning tradition, we will not have a two-hour delay on Monday, Feb. 10. Schools will operate on normal schedules. …I hope all of you enjoy the game with friends and family and cheer on our Eagles safely. And I look forward to seeing you back at school and work on Monday. Go Birds!"
