Mayor speaks out about downtown brawl

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Four Springfield Police Officers are recovering after being injured in a massive brawl on Worthington Street Saturday morning. Up to 60 people were involved in the street, and 20 officers had to be called for backup - leaving many Springfield neighborhoods unprotected for about an hour.

It was close to 2AM closing time at the Fat Cat on Worthington Street when women inside the bar began to fight. The men they were with joined in, along with dozens of other people as the brawl poured out onto the street.

Four Springfield Police Officers were injured trying to break up the fight; a female officer suffered a concussion and two others suffered a broken finger and sprained ankle. Mayor Domenic Sarno said the fight, which left other parts of the city unpatrolled, was completely unacceptable.

“When people see this they're going to say 'Oh my god I don't want to go to Springfield.' I want to tell you there's plenty of good happening in the city of Springfield. We have urban challenges and when something like this happens we're going to tackle it,” Said Sarno.

The fight happened just days after the city came to a settlement with clubs like Mardi Gras, Center Stage and Xstatic that allows them to provide entertainment until 2am, instead of shutting off all music, TVs and dancing at 1.

Springfield Police Sgt. John Delaney told 22news when the entertainment stops at 1, the crowds finish their drinks and disperse gradually. But when everything shuts down at 2, up to 4-thousand people can pour into the entertainment district at the same time.

Mayor Sarno told 22News he spoke with his licensing division this morning to discuss what action to take next. Nine people were arrested in the fight; they face charges like assault and battery on police officers.