Pop-up parties, large gatherings continue to defy social distancing rules

NEW YORK - It's the opposite of what you want to see in the middle of a pandemic. Dozens of unmasked partiers crammed onto an MTA bus in Maspeth, Queens while smoking, dancing and ignoring social distancing rules. The MTA is now trying to track down the culprits behind the pop-up party. 

Officials say it happened around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday after a bus without any passengers left the Grand Avenue depot. It was stopped on a nearby street by double-parked cars. When the driver tried to get the cars to move, the crowd hopped on the bus. A supervisor arrived about 30 minutes later, but the group ran off.

This incident is far from an isolated one. 

There was also a massive rave on Sunday in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. More than 1,500 people gathered for the organized event. Mask wearing was inconsistent at best. 

Some on social media claim people flew in from states like Texas to attend the party which is one of the dozens of places travelers are required to quarantine for 14-days when entering the Tri-State. 

COVID-19 TRAVEL ADVISORY LIST FOR NY, NJ, CT

Gov. Andrew Cuomo added Hawaii, South Dakota, and US Virgin Islands to his travel advisory. He took Alaska, New Mexico, Ohio, and Rhode Island off of the list due to their declining COVID cases. There are a total of 33 states, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on the advisory. 

The governor is also trying to crack down on large gatherings by going after businesses. 

The State Liquor Authority says it's suspended the liquor licenses of 38 additional establishments in New York City and Long Island for serving drinks to patrons without a meal. Among them, the Bohemian Hall in Astoria, Queens, which is the oldest beer garden in New York City. The last time the government forced the Bohemian Hall to shut down was during Prohibition.