Saugus police break up pre-Thanksgiving brawl at Kowloon

Local News

In one video shared widely on social media, a woman appears to smash a bottle over someone’s head while others trade blows inside the iconic Saugus restaurant.

Kowloon in Saugus. Barry Chin/Boston Globe Staff, File

Saugus police are reportedly investigating after a brawl broke out Wednesday night at the iconic Kowloon Restaurant.

Massachusetts State Police were dispatched to Kowloon on Route 1 North around 10:30 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving to help Saugus officials break up a fight that reportedly involved several people, an MSP spokesperson told Boston.com.

Saugus officers had already broken up the fight by the time troopers arrived, the spokesperson added. State police remained at Kowloon to help disperse the crowd. 

In a statement obtained by WCVB, Saugus police said the fight involved several young men. 

Videos shared widely on social media purportedly show the physical altercation and police response. In one video, a woman appears to smash a bottle over someone’s head while others trade blows.

Six officers who were already working a police detail at the restaurant were quickly alerted and able to de-escalate the situation, WCVB reported. Emergency crews were also called to Kowloon for a man who sustained injuries to his face, per a police scanner recording posted on Broadcastify. 

“The Kowloon is a family-friendly restaurant. Unfortunately, a few unruly patrons ruined a nice evening for many others. A disturbance such as this on Thanksgiving Eve is unacceptable and disgusting,” Saugus Police Chief Michael Ricciardelli said in a statement, according to WCVB.

Boston.com has reached out to Ricciardelli and Kowloon for comment. 

According to WCVB, police questioned several people but didn’t arrest any at the time. However, the news outlet reported that criminal charges may be on the horizon, given the use of the bottle as a weapon. 

Kowloon, which seats about 1,200 at its current size, was supposed to be open from noon to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, according to its website and Facebook page. 

The restaurant shared photos showing a long line of customers waiting to get into Kowloon on Wednesday evening, writing, “We are very grateful for the hundreds of customers who are waiting outside to join us for their pre-Thanksgiving meal.”