DENNIS, Mass. — Some coastal towns especially on the Cape dealt with out-of-control parties over the Fourth of July weekend. Some local police reported thousands of unruly teens and young adults wreaked havoc and trashed Cape Cod beaches.
Dennis Police Lt. Peter Benson shared a video showing the crowds on Mayflower Beach growing on the Fourth of July. “We are talking thousands of people,” said Benson. “I was horrified to just see the trash and the things left behind.”
Dennis police arrested, charged, or interacted with at least 30 people over the entire holiday weekend.
“It looked like Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale,” one vacationer said.
Local residents say it has been an issue for the past few years and some people are going out of their way to avoid coming to the Cape for the 4th of July.
“They just come in herds on buses or Uber. It’s disgusting,” said a local resident.
The residents say it’s impacting the quality of life for everyone who lives and vacations here. “The children are digging holes around people’s out-of-control partying. It’s a sad vision,” said a woman.
“We believe it is being driven by social media. We don’t know what app they are using but they are able to create their plan,” said Benson.
Dennis and other police departments are now working to better monitor these potential party plans online to try to prevent large gatherings early.
“It is not fair to the rest of the town where there is still activity going on we are trying to handle,” said Benson.
Dennis police said they are already having meetings with town officials and other police departments to see if they have to adjust their response.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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