Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect corrected figures provided by the Newport Police Department. An initial arrest log sent to media Sunday morning listed 26 entries. Capt. Joseph C. Carroll later clarified that the department’s new records system had difficulty separating custodial arrests from municipal court citations, and that the correct totals are 10 custodial arrests and 36 municipal citations, for a combined total of 46 enforcement actions.
Open container violations and disorderly conduct topped the list of charges as Newport police issued 36 municipal citations and made 10 custodial arrests Saturday during the city’s 70th annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and the hours that followed.
Of those charged, 14 faced violations for possessing an open container of alcohol in public. Disorderly conduct was the next most common charge, with eight citations or arrests. Three of those were juveniles, ages 16 and 17.
One person was charged with alcohol possession by a minor, and two people faced charges of simple assault and/or battery. One of those individuals was also charged with disorderly conduct.
More serious incidents included a domestic violence case logged at 8:31 p.m. involving charges of simple assault and battery, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, and a DUI charge just before 10 p.m.
One individual was also cited for failure to properly restrain an animal.
The 46 total enforcement actions represent a significant drop from 2025, when Newport police arrested 15 people and issued 63 citations during the parade for a combined total of 78. Carroll credited the decline to a large police presence and advance media coverage urging parade-goers to drink responsibly and arrange safe transportation.