ORLANDO, Fla. – Thousands of people took over downtown Orlando for Halloween, which is usually is one of the busiest nights of the year for law enforcement. And with so many people out on the streets, things can quickly turn violent.
A video recently posted on YouTube shows a wild and out-of-control brawl in downtown Orlando. In the video, a mob of people are seen rushing in and kicking a man on the ground. Pleas to stop are drowned out, and the fight continues until some Guardian Angels step in.
Joseph Lebel, one of the Angels, told Local 6's Lisa Bell there is a heavy police presence in downtown Orlando, but officers can't be everywhere.
Lebel said that's why the volunteer citizens, with their signature red berets, have patrolled downtown Orlando since 2007. Their goal: to keep people safe, even though cops advise them to call for help rather then step in.
"The crowds clear out at 2:30, 3:30, 3 o'clock and the cops leave, and that's when everything happens," said Lebel.
In fact, there are several downtown Orlando brawls posted on YouTube with cops nowhere in sight.
"Usually, they're riding around on bicycles, but when something happens, they're not where you need them," said Troy Bolin, who works security at the Dive Bar.
Other people who work at downtown clubs told Local 6 they see these fights once a week.
"That's a big, big problem down here right now,and I think it's getting worse and worse and nothing's being done about it," said Joel West, a downtown DJ.