Walsh issues cease and desist order to cruise company after crowded boat party picture goes viral

BOSTON — A picture from a crowded boat party in Boston has gone viral and now the mayor has issued a cease and desist order to Bay State Cruise Company.

Boston 25 News spoke with Marty Walz Sunday night, who posted a picture of the backed boat.

“I could hear the noise coming off the boat and see the large crowd of people,” Walz said. “So that’s when I grabbed a photo of it because it was so shocking.”

By Monday evening, Mayor Marty Walsh had issued a cease and desist order:

“This weekend’s mass gathering on a boat in the harbor represents a serious threat to public health, which is why today the Boston Public Health Commission together with the state’s Department of Labor Standards issued a cease-and-desist order to Bay State Cruise Company. We’ve made great sacrifices and worked hard over the last few months to stop the very real and very dangerous spread of COVID-19, and it’s vital every person and every business take this public health emergency seriously, and do their part to keep their families, neighbors and communities safe.”

—  Boston Mayor Marty Walsh

Bay State Cruiser manager Michael Glasfeld told Boston 25 News Sunday the boat sailed at 33% capacity.

“The picture that was taken from Pier 4 this evening was of our harbor cruise vessel getting underway for a 7 to 9:30 p.m. cruise,” said Bay State Cruise manager Michael Glasfeld. “We sailed at 33% capacity. The deck areas of our vessel provide for 28 square feet per passenger (the area of a six-foot circle) for up to 44% of our vessel’s capacity.”

Crowded harbor cruise picture catches social media attention Marty Walz is not a professional photographer, but she got a shot on her cellphone Saturday night that?s creating quite a buzz on social media.

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