Worcester police arrest more than 50 people at alleged illegal car show, police say

Worcester's Interim Police Chief said these gatherings "will not be tolerated."

The Worcester Police Department arrested 53 people after an illegal car show gathering on Friday, the department said. One minor was arrested, they said in a statement.

“These types of dangerous gatherings put innocent members of our community at risk and will not be tolerated in the City of Worcester,” interim Police Chief Paul Saucier said.

The gathering happened in the parking lot of the old Dick’s Sporting Goods on Lincoln Street around 9:00 p.m. Friday, according to the department. Officers observed skid marks on the ground and tire tracks spanning across the lot, police said in the statement.

About an hour later, officers responded to reports of a “large gathering” of cars on New Bond Street, the department. Many of the cars sped off, but officers recorded some license plate numbers, then discovered the location of the next gathering via social media, the statement reads.

At the secondary location at 330 Southwest Cutoff, officers found more than 30 vehicles gathered behind a building, according to the statement. They arrested 53 people, including one “juvenile,” the statement said, for trespassing.

“Since the spring of 2024, impromptu ‘car shows’ have been held at a number of locations in the City of Worcester. The shows are announced on social media platforms to encourage people to attend,” the statement says. “These shows have become increasingly problematic, with officers responding to several dozen incidents of gunshots, property damage, erratic driving and large disorderly groups.”