South Boston St. Patrick's Day parade draws crowds as police make 17 arrests

Hundreds of thousands attended South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade and Boston police made 17 arrests; the procession began earlier and ran in reverse to mark Evacuation Day.

Hundreds of thousands of people filled South Boston on Sunday for the annual St. Patrick's Day parade, which began at 11:30 a.m. instead of the traditional 1 p.m. The route ran in reverse from Andrew Square to honor Evacuation Day and to assist with traffic and safety management. The celebration marked the city's observance of the country's 250th year and included music, floats and community traditions. Boston police reported 17 arrests during the event. Key details: - Boston police made 17 arrests during the parade. - The parade drew hundreds of thousands of attendees. - The start time was moved to 11:30 a.m. for a second straight year to address public drinking and rowdy behavior. - The route ran in reverse, beginning at Andrew Square, to honor Evacuation Day and help with traffic and safety. - Mayor Michelle Wu spoke about the ongoing struggle for freedoms and rights in remarks at the event. - Celtics star Jaylen Brown appeared on one of the parade floats; attendees described traditional music and community festivities. Summary: The large turnout reflected the parade's role as a longstanding community tradition, while the arrests highlighted public-safety challenges at crowded events. Undetermined at this time.