Long Beach police and the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control issued more than 60 citations over two days in and around the Long Beach Pride Festival last weekend, resulting in alcohol sales being shut down an hour early at the end of the annual event. 

As part of ABC’s enforcement effort during large-scale events, the “minor decoy” operation was utilized inside the gated and ticketed Festival held Saturday and Sunday at Marina Green on Shoreline Drive. During the undercover operation, minors under the supervision of ABC were able to purchase alcohol at over half of the distribution points. 

In the parking lots and on the streets outside the Festival, detectives found people drinking in public, minors in possession of alcohol and other alcohol-related crimes. The 7-Eleven on the corner of Ocean Blvd. and Alamitos Ave. was also cited for illegal activity and for being in violation of their ABC license.

In all, more than 60 citations were issued for alcohol-related crimes in the vicinity of the Festival. Due to the problems related to alcohol, all sales of alcohol were shut down one hour early on Sunday.

A DUI enforcement effort also took place citywide from 6PM Sunday until 2AM, during which nine drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Members of the LGBT community expressed concerns that the Pride Festival was being singled out. However, Marlene Arrona of the LBPD noted that the same type of decoy was deployed at Grand Prix; no violations were observed there.

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