Vanore said local teenagers often had flocked to South Street on the Saturday night of the picnic.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated disturbance around 7 p.m. Sunday in Old City, police said they were investigating a large fight that broke out in which two people were stabbed and taken to nearby hospitals. Authorities said the fight took place at Chestnut and Letitia Streets.
A 19-year-old man was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with a stab wound to the right forearm and was listed in stable condition. Another man, with a wound to the abdomen, was taken to Hahnemann University Hospital where he was taken into surgery. No additional information about his age or his condition was available Sunday night.
Vanore said authorities were sorting through information last night to determine what started the brawl.
In the disturbance on South Street in the early morning hours Sunday, police shut down South Street with the help of state police mounted officers. Some local youths then headed toward Broad Street, prompting reports of disturbances there, Vanore said.
Vanore said those problems were relatively minor, with 15 arrests for summary offenses such as disorderly conduct and underage drinking.
"The problems we have had nothing to do with the Greek Picnic events, and they never have," Vanore said. "The problem we have is that kids just kind of congregate on that night."
Cory Johnson, one of the organizers of the substitute event, Philly Greek Weekend, said Saturday night's problems were unfairly linked to college fraternity and sorority alumni.
He said he and a friend designed Philly Greek Weekend after the Philadelphia chapter of the National Pan-Hellenic Council decided not to hold the traditional Greek Picnic. Officials of the council could not be reached for comment.
