Despite Warning From Mayor, Alabama Fans Pack Tuscaloosa Streets to Celebrate Football Title

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Thousands of fans filled the streets of Tuscaloosa on the night of January 11, celebrating Alabama Crimson Tide’s college football championship win against Ohio State, despite warnings against gathering and amid rising coronavirus cases in the state.

Footage by journalist James Benedetto shows a densely packed crowd filling the Strip in Tuscaloosa.

Ahead of the championship game, Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox had warned against gatherings. “We can’t have block parties this year,” he said in a Twitter video. “There will be a time and place to celebrate, but this is not the time,” he said.

The daily average of new coronavirus cases in Alabama for the week to January 11 was 30 percent higher than the previous two weeks. There were 2,100 new cases recorded on January 11, and 13 deaths. More than 100 deaths were recorded on January 6, 8 and 9. Credit: James Benedetto via Storyful