SAN ANTONIO – As the Texas Longhorns crushed the Colorado Buffaloes in the Alamo Bowl Tuesday night, security staff were throwing penalty flags of their own off the field.
The City of San Antonio’s running database of citations was updated Wednesday to show that 10 people at the game, inside the Alamodome, were cited for “repeated refusal” to wear masks or wear them properly.
Recommended Videos
The violation states that the guests had received prior warnings before they were cited.
Another seven people were either issued warnings or left/were escorted out due to violating the mask rule, according to the city.
Just before kickoff, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said there was going to be “strict oversight” at the game, which was set at about 17% capacity. The number of fans allowed in the more than 60,000-seat indoor stadium was limited on Monday after regional COVID-19 hospitalizations triggered restrictions for indoor businesses.
“I was pleased to see that there is going to be very strict oversight and enforcement, and so we will hold ourselves accountable to that,” he said during his daily briefing with Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff.
The mayor also confirmed 975 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the city’s case count to 114,362. On Monday, Nirenberg and Wolff said the city’s coronavirus risk level was elevated to “severe.”
The additional violations bring the city’s number of citations issued in December to 49.
The San Antonio Development Services Department (DSD), Center City Development and Operations Department, San Antonio Police Department and Metro Health are all charged with enforcing San Antonio’s emergency declaration, set in place to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
The order requires all people 10 years and older to wear a face covering and prohibits large outside gatherings in excess of 10 people (with some exceptions) in line with social distancing guidelines, among other requirements.
Earlier this week, city officials said 11,000 people were expected to attend the game.
No tailgating was allowed, and guests had to pass a mandatory temperature check, according to Patricia Cantor, the director of Convention and Sports Facilities.
The Longhorns beat the Buffaloes 55-23 despite losing senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger to a shoulder injury. The Longhorns are undefeated in four bowl games under head coach Tom Herman.
Read also: