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4 arrested, dozens kicked out of South Florida Fair

60 Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies added for safety
South Florida Fair 12320223
Posted at 5:28 PM, Jan 23, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-24 08:16:42-05

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The South Florida Fair is considering stricter rules after fights broke out over the weekend, leading to four arrests.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, about 60 people were escorted off of the fairgrounds, in addition to the arrests, Saturday night. Video posted on social media showed groups of kids fighting on the fairgrounds.

South Florida Fair President and CEO Vickie Chouris said the fighting has to stop.

"Bad behavior won't be tolerated," she said.

Last year, the South Florida Fair implemented a policy where all guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult on Fridays and Saturdays.

Fair officials are now re-examining that policy.

"Now that this incident has happened, we're going to look again to see if that's strong enough," Chouris said. "If not, we'll address it and make it even tighter, because it's the families that we care about coming out and having a good time."

Most people who attended the fair said the focus on safety is apparent.

"I feel safe because I have my wife with me," one man said.

In addition to the regular security, fair organizers said they have an additional 60 Palm Beach County deputies on hand for added safety.