Super Bowl Sunday is a beloved American holiday, often celebrated with good food, drinks, and most importantly, football! It’s a day when football fans everywhere gather to watch the game and sometimes get a little rowdy. Statistics show that there may be an uptick in crime on Super Bowl Sunday.
In preparation for hosting this year’s celebration, and the potential shenanigans associated with it, Las Vegas has updated security measures and increased its law enforcement presence to ensure the safety of the die-hard fans who traveled from near and far to attend this year’s Super Bowl. But fans who are watching from home or with friends should also be mindful that safety is still a major concern throughout the country, and the police presence may reflect that accordingly.
Luckily for you we’ve investigated some of the common legal binds you could get into in Minnesota on Super Bowl Sunday and we’re providing that information here as a public service announcement of sorts. With these offenses in mind, you can avoid spending your Super Bowl Sunday in the slammer, and enjoy the celebration instead.
- Disorderly Conduct:
Although MN does not have a public intoxication statute (in fact there is a law stating just the opposite: that drunkenness in public is not a crime, similar conduct could be charged as disorderly conduct. Disorderly Conduct could include the following:
- Brawling or fighting (like a bar fight);
- Disturbing any sort of lawful assembly or meeting; or
- Engaging in any offensive, obscene, abusive, boisterous, or noisy conduct-which may arouse alarm, anger, or resentment in others (basically getting rowdy and disturbing others).
In other words, try to keep your Super Bowl parties under control, think twice before getting into a fight with someone, or making a major scene if your team loses the game or if you lose a lot of money on a bet. If you are sports betting this Super Bowl Sunday, make sure it’s legal! (For more information about sports betting in Minnesota go to the MN Department of Public Safety- Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement page for more info).
- Underage Drinking:
This one speaks for itself—it’s against the law for any person under 21 to consume or purchase alcoholic beverages. Also, driving after consuming ANY amount of alcohol is illegal for someone who is under 21.
Know the risks: “Everyone else was doing it,” is not going to work as an excuse when the party you’re at gets busted by the police.
- Drinking and Driving:
Simply put, it’s a crime to drive while you are impaired or to drive with an alcohol content of .08 or more. If you’re having drinks throughout the day, you may feel like you’re okay to drive at the end of the night. However, be sure that you are okay before getting behind the wheel. If you have any doubts about your sobriety, just get a ride from a sober friend or call an Uber to be safe.
Oh, and make sure to leave any open alcohol containers behind when you get into a vehicle, in any case.
- Criminal Damage to Property:
Lastly, it’s a crime to intentionally damage someone else’s property. Keep this in mind before you throw the remote at someone’s TV in frustration, flip the table in excitement, or tear down the goalposts!
Have a safe and fun Super Bowl Sunday, everyone!