ASTORIA, Queens (WABC) -- Clusters of people, many of them not wearing face masks, were caught on video refusing to practice social distancing during the overnight hours in Queens Friday.
On Twitter, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio called it 'unacceptable' and pledged stricter enforcement throughout the city starting Saturday night.
The incident happened on 28th Avenue and Steinway Street in Astoria.
Police were called to the scene to maintain crowd control.
No arrests were made, and no summonses were handed out.
City Councilman Costa Constantinides, who is a member of District 22 representing Astoria, was furious about the incident.
"There's businesses who frankly I think need to be shut down," Constantinides said. "I already spoke to the governor and the mayor's office today, and said that they've already used up their strikes."
Large social gatherings defying social distancing guidelines aren't new to the Tri-State area as several incidents happened in June.
Hundreds of people assembled in close proximity in Manhattan's East Village not wearing face coverings. It even drew a social-media rebuke from Governor Andrew Cuomo.
In New Jersey, a popular bar in Jersey City was busted twice for massive crowds not following social distancing guidelines or wearing masks.
Another incident at a Jersey Shore bar in Belmar showed videos of large crowds, tightly-packed, without masks and no social distancing.
Also, a photo of a packed outdoor beer garden circulated on social media and got the attention of elected officials in Morristown.
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