Most people out and about were wearing face coverings, Mayor Jane Castor told reporters during a press conference. “But those few bad actors will be identified, and the Tampa Police Department will handle it,” she added.
The department didn’t return a request for comment.
Approximately 25,000 fans watched the game inside the stadium in person, with numerous others nearby watching in bars and other venues.
After the Bucs won, spontaneous celebrations broke out.
Officials gave out over 200,000 masks and sent thousands of volunteers through the downtown area giving out masks and reminding people to wear them properly, Castor, a Democrat, said.
“You can supply everyone with a mask, advise them of the science behind it, and expect that they are going to abide by the mask order. Again, you’re going to find a few that don’t. The majority that I saw were wearing masks,” she said.
Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa, in June 2020 mandated masks be worn in indoor areas during situations when social distancing is not possible.
Tampa implemented a separate order that month requiring masks in indoor public areas other than homes and residences. The order required business owners to mandate masks for customers and deny admittance to those who failed to comply with the order.
Castor has since then been seen without a mask on multiple occasions while indoors, including during a hockey game. She was also spotted maskless celebrating the Tampa Bay Lightning Stanley Cup win last year, though she was outdoors.
Castor told reporters Monday that the city did not see a spike in COVID-19 cases after the Stanley Cup win.
