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Tampa mayor slams Super Bowl fans for not wearing masks as they crammed into bars to celebrate - before announcing an official Buccaneers celebration this week where 'everybody' can participate

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor slammed the thousands of Bucs fans who took to the city's streets on Sunday night in open defiance of Covid restrictions to celebrate their team's unprecedented home-field Super Bowl win. 

'It is a little frustrating because we worked so hard,' Castor said during a Monday morning news conference in regards to the maskless partying seen going on in Tampa after the Bucs won the Super Bowl. 'At this point in dealing with COVID-19, there is a level of frustration when you see that.'

Yet just a few short hours later, the mayor appeared to have a change of heart, announcing a celebration event later this week for the Tampa team. 

'We can’t have a historic event of this significance in our community and not celebrate it,' Castor said. 'We definitely have to celebrate this momentous occasion.' 

It's not clear what this celebration would look like, as Castor didn't provide any further details. Typically, a sports team would have a parade in their city after winning a title.

'Overall, I’m happy with the compliance,' Castor said about COVID-19 restrictions being followed - almost a direct contrast to what she said earlier. 

Castor cited September's boat parade in celebration of the Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup title as an example of a team celebration taking place without a spike in cases.

But Sunday's celebrations sparked deep concern after pictures of thousands of maskless revelers emerged, crammed into bars and in the street in the hours after the game. Few masks were seen in the aftermath of the Bucs win, despite the city giving out 200,000 masks before the game, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

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Thousands of Bucs fans took to the streets around Tampa on Sunday night in open defiance of Covid restrictions to celebrate their team's unprecedented home-field Super Bowl win

Thousands of Bucs fans took to the streets around Tampa on Sunday night in open defiance of Covid restrictions to celebrate their team's unprecedented home-field Super Bowl win 

Fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated (without  masks) after the team's Super Bowl win on Sunday

Fans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated (without  masks) after the team's Super Bowl win on Sunday

Throngs of mostly maskless fans took to the streets and packed sports bars as the clock inside Raymond James Stadium ticked down on a hometown Super Bowl win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Throngs of mostly maskless fans took to the streets and packed sports bars as the clock inside Raymond James Stadium ticked down on a hometown Super Bowl win for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa mayor Jane Castor admonished the crowds, before doing a 180 and promising a celebration in the coming days

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As the night wore on, police eventually used pepper spray to control the crowds as drunken revelers blocked intersections, climbed trees and street lights, and took down street signs. 

Almost none of the thousands-strong crowd could be seen wearing masks or socially distancing, despite health officials warning the Super Bowl could quickly turn into a super-spreader event if precautions weren't followed. 

Waving Tampa Bay Buccaneers and American flags, fans hugged and screamed and sang and ran between cars stuck on the streets for several hours, ignoring warnings about social distancing amid the COVID pandemic. 

Fans were seen climbing over vehicles, streetlights and the marquees of stores.

Cars beeped their horns and the luxury yachts that had been docked all weekend at the marinas that dot downtown responded with blasts of their loud fog horns.

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Fans took to the streets to celebrate the Super Bowl win in downtown Tampa yesterday, many not taking COVID-19 precautions

Fans took to the streets to celebrate the Super Bowl win in downtown Tampa yesterday, many not taking COVID-19 precautions

Many revelers were seen without masks, in disregard of strict COVID restrictions

Many revelers were seen without masks, in disregard of strict COVID restrictions

The jubilant crowds validated the concerns of many that the Super Bowl could lead to 'superspreader events'

The jubilant crowds validated the concerns of many that the Super Bowl could lead to 'superspreader events'

Super Bowl champions: Folks cheered, crammed into bars and hugged in several hotspots around the city — and swarmed the streets — all without masks

Super Bowl champions: Folks cheered, crammed into bars and hugged in several hotspots around the city — and swarmed the streets — all without masks

Caution to the wind: Despite Florida seeing 28,000 COVID deaths and nearly 2 million infections - the infectious party atmosphere spread through Tampa on Sunday

Caution to the wind: Despite Florida seeing 28,000 COVID deaths and nearly 2 million infections - the infectious party atmosphere spread through Tampa on Sunday

Hundreds of Bucs fans descended on Tampa on Sunday night to celebrate their Super Bowl win

Hundreds of Bucs fans descended on Tampa on Sunday night to celebrate their Super Bowl win

Crowds took control of several major intersections after the Super Bowl win

Crowds took control of several major intersections after the Super Bowl win

The nation's top health officials sounded the alarm this week about the Super Bowl being a potential superspreader event

The nation's top health officials sounded the alarm this week about the Super Bowl being a potential superspreader event

Fans hugged and screamed and sang and ran between cars stuck on the streets for several hours

Fans hugged and screamed and sang and ran between cars stuck on the streets for several hours

Tampa officials had warned of fines of up to $500 for violators of local health guidelines

Tampa officials had warned of fines of up to $500 for violators of local health guidelines

Tom Brady shares a kiss with model wife Gisele Bundchen after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Super Bowl victory on Sunday night, claiming his seventh victory in the process

Tom Brady shares a kiss with model wife Gisele Bundchen after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to Super Bowl victory on Sunday night, claiming his seventh victory in the process

Brady lifts the Vince Lombardi trophy after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday night

Brady lifts the Vince Lombardi trophy after leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday night

Brady celebrates with his three children - daughter Vivian (right) and sons Benjamin (far left) and Jack (center, hidden behind his father) after claiming his seventh Super Bowl win

Brady celebrates with his three children - daughter Vivian and sons Benjamin (far left) and Jack (center, hidden behind his father) after claiming his seventh Super Bowl win

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Bruce Springsteen urges Americans to unite while Fiverr mocks Rudy Giuliani in Super Bowl ads

Bruce Springsteen preached national unity, Winona Ryder reprised her role from Edward Scissorhands, Fiverr poked fun at Rudy Giuliani's post-election news conference, and Robinhood pitched its brand after a tumultuous period on Wall Street in this year's Super Bowl commercials.

Michael B. Jordan, Drake, Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd, and Sesame Street's Big Bird were also among the big star names appearing in the ads, which are among the most expensive of the year.

Companies paid at least $5.5million for 30 second advertisements during game.

Jeep's ad starred iconic singer Bruce Springsteen in his first ever ad promoting the idea of unity.

'It's no secret the middle has been a hard place to get to lately, between red and blue, servant and citizen, freedom and fear,' Springsteen intones, adding 'we need the middle.'

Freelancer website Fiverr teased that its ad would feature Four Seasons total landscaping, the scene of an infamous Rudy Giuliani press conference during last year's tumultuous election. 

The tongue-in-cheek ad features Four Seasons Total Landscaping owner Marie Siravo talking about how to build a successful business with the help of Fiverr. 

It came after Tom Brady led the team to its second Super Bowl win - the first in 18 years - on Sunday night, beating defending champions the Kansas City Chiefs 31-9. 

As the night wore on, however, violent scenes started becoming more frequent.

At first, police appeared at intersections to allow traffic to move freely and to direct fans to the sidewalks.

But soon, fans started swarming police, who retreated back into their cars. Some revelers took down street signs.  

Fireworks exploded as fans with sports cars were drag racing on downtown streets, the rubber smoke and smell from the tires wafting above the crowds.

By midnight, police were spotted dousing revelers with pepper spray in order to reestablish a semblance of order.

Many revelers were seen without masks, in disregard of strict COVID restrictions brought in ahead of the game.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor issued an executive order last month requiring masks to be worn outside in the city's most popular entertainment and recreation areas during Super Bowl festivities and the days following the event. 

Tampa officials had warned of fines of up to $500 for violators of local health guidelines.

Castor did not believe anyone was cited in violation in the aftermath of the game. 

The nation's top health officials sounded the alarm this week about the Super Bowl being a potential superspreader event.

'I'm worried about Super Bowl Sunday, quite honestly. People gather, they watch games together. We've seen outbreaks already from football parties,' said Rochelle Walensky, head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 'So I really do think that we need to watch this and be careful.' 

Ahead of the game, hundreds of protesters with issues ranging from a union contract to Covid vaccines and the name of the visiting Kansas City team greeted Super Bowl fans in Tampa, Florida, patiently filing into Raymond James Stadium for the big game on Sunday afternoon.

There was a carnival atmosphere in the streets as the Bucs won their second NFL title and first in 18 years

There was a carnival atmosphere in the streets as the Bucs won their second NFL title and first in 18 years

Fans were seen climbing over vehicles, streetlights and the marquees of stores

Fans were seen climbing over vehicles, streetlights and the marquees of stores

Bucs fans flooded downtown Tampa on Sunday to celebrate their team's unprecedented home field win at Super Bowl 55

Bucs fans flooded downtown Tampa on Sunday to celebrate their team's unprecedented home field win at Super Bowl 55

Bucs fans crowded around the Raymond James Stadium as the home team celebrated their win

Bucs fans crowded around the Raymond James Stadium as the home team celebrated their win

Among the protesters were three dozen members of anti-Covid vaccine groups from around the country, including Moms for Freedom and Florida Freedom Keepers. They wore striped referee shirts as they converged around the entrance to the stadium reserved to medical professionals.

Some shouted slogans like 'educate yourselves' or 'don't do it,' to which one nurse in the line responded, 'you idiots.'

'We get a lot of those responses and many much ruder,' said protest organizer Joshua Coleman, who flew in from California just to lead the action.  

Nurse Tiffany Click, 46, who works at the nearby Brandon Regional Hospital, called the protesters ignorant.

She said she won a raffle held by the hospital for 275 of the free tickets.

She started lining up about one mile away from the stadium in order to get in.

'It is what it is,' she said when asked about the line. 'I'm vaccinated so it's OK. I don't mind waiting.'

Bucs fans celebrated long into the night on Sunday, with almost no masks or social distancing visible amidst the crowds

Bucs fans celebrated long into the night on Sunday, with almost no masks or social distancing visible amidst the crowds

Fans wearing Bucs jerseys and a Tom Brady t-shirt celebrate victory in downtown Tampa on Sunday night

Fans wearing Bucs jerseys and a Tom Brady t-shirt celebrate victory in downtown Tampa on Sunday night

Defying Covid restrictions brought in ahead of the game, Bucs fans celebrated into the night in what experts fear could become a coronavirus super-spreader event

Defying Covid restrictions brought in ahead of the game, Bucs fans celebrated into the night in what experts fear could become a coronavirus super-spreader event

Tampa fans fly their team's flag after Tom Brady led them to their first Super Bowl victory in 18 years on Sunday

Tampa fans fly their team's flag after Tom Brady led them to their first Super Bowl victory in 18 years on Sunday

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' fans celebrate their victory outside Raymond James Stadium despite restrictions on public gatherings outside sporting venues

Tampa Bay Buccaneers' fans celebrate their victory outside Raymond James Stadium despite restrictions on public gatherings outside sporting venues

Across the street, two dozen American Indians from tribes in Florida and the Midwest in native clothing expressed their disapproval of the Kansas City Indian imagery.

The Chiefs, said protester Rhonda Levaldo, should change their name just like the NFL's Washington Redskins did last year.

'For some reason, the Chiefs flew under the radar, supposedly because their logo is a sign of respect for us,' said Levaldo, who flew to Tampa from Kansas City. 'We're not some vulgar mascot. We're people and we're not here for anyone's entertainment.'

But the largest protest group by far, with more than 500 people, was the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers' Tampa chapter.

President Keith LaPlant proudly showed off a permit obtained from the city for a protest on one of the main arteries into the stadium area.

With cars crawling through major traffic jams, LaPlant's union employees got the most honks from football fans.

The workers are employees of Frontier Communications, one of the local cable TV and internet access providers.

LaPlant said the union is currently in negotiations with the company which, he says, is trying to double the employees' healthcare insurance contributions, eliminate healthcare for retirees and do away with its 401-K retirement program.

'We're essential workers,' he said. 'In this pandemic, we're the ones who make sure kids can go to school online and businesses can operate from people's homes. And for that, we're digging holes and crawling through attics and spending time in homes were people could be sick.

'We stood by the company through thick and thin but the company's not standing by us.'

LaPlant said Frontier is a major sponsor of the Buccaneers and has a brand presence at the stadium, making the protest potentially more embarrassing for it.

'That's why we wanted to be here at the Super Bowl,' he said. 'We told the company we were doing this, but they don't appear to care.'

A line measuring more than one mile long of spectators, many healthcare workers, stretches outside Raymond James Stadium just hours before Super Bowl LV in Tampa kicked off yesterday

A line measuring more than one mile long of spectators, many healthcare workers, stretches outside Raymond James Stadium just hours before Super Bowl LV in Tampa kicked off yesterday 

Fans were unable to avoid the protesters on Sunday as they lined up outside the stadium waiting to go in

Fans were unable to avoid the protesters on Sunday as they lined up outside the stadium waiting to go in

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