February 8, 2021

Thousands of people without masks showed up in Tampa over the weekend to celebrate this year's Super Bowl.

Video shared on social media showed maskless people packed shoulder-to-shoulder on one Tampa street.

Tampa Bay Times photographer Luis Santana, who shot the video, said that he had never seen more people in Tampa's Ybor City neighborhood.

In a subsequent video, Santana talked about the experience.

"I've never seen it this packed," he said. "This is nuts. This is frickin nuts."

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has struggled to put COVID-19 restrictions in place after Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) refused to allow local governments to fine businesses or individuals who don't follow the rules.

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