CHICAGO (WLS) — Mass arrests took place late Sunday night on the city’s north side as people were reported to have jumped on cars and thrown bottles at police throughout the night, hours after the city’s Pride march.
Incident Details
The Chicago Pride parade ended around 1 p.m. Sunday, and the mass arrests began around 1:23 a.m. in the 3000 block of North Clark Street near Halsted in Lakeview, police said, meaning there was a 10- to 11-hour gap between the Pride celebrations and these incidents.
Arrests and Charges
Police said a total of 53 people were arrested, including nine minors, and four firearms were recovered. Among those arrested:
- Six people were cited for obstructing traffic.
- Six people were cited for disorderly conduct.
- One person was cited for both obstructing traffic and disorderly conduct.
- One person was arrested on an active warrant.
The Chicago Police Department reported that 24 people were charged with various misdemeanors, including reckless conduct, battery, assault, resisting or obstructing an officer, and property damage. Additionally, 14 people, including four minors, were charged with felonies, including weapons charges. Charges are pending against two individuals.
Timeline of Events
While the 53rd annual Chicago Pride Parade wrapped up between 1 and 2 p.m., police flooded the area near Clark and Bluemont late in the day after reports of a fight between people on a bus. There were also multiple reports of people dancing on Chicago Transit Authority buses and crowds moving down side streets.
“The show ended hours and hours ago, and this went on all day, and I think they were just trying to get people to go home,” said Meredith Maiorana, a local resident. “People were partying and they were obviously drunk and they were loud and excited, and there were people doing some kind of dancing in the clubs. It was pretty wild.”
Community Reactions
“It wasn’t just people celebrating Pride, it was also something that I think hurt the point of all of this,” said Tizoc Garcia, a witness to the incident.
“Like those party buses or CTA buses because they were literally full of people and not just one person, not just two. We’re talking 20 or 30 people on two buses dancing like it was on a dance floor. It was crazy,” said Chris Karontzos, owner of Modern Grill.
Karontzos said when the pride parade ended, it was chaos, and she had to put up wooden boards to prevent people from breaking windows.
Police and Community Leaders Respond
“I hate this road. I complained about being in the middle of this road,” she said. Her family has owned the restaurant since the 1960s, and she said the show itself was great, but what happened after was what added to the tension.
“The police were here, and they were strong. I couldn’t believe they had helicopters, or how many police were here, but like I said, it was fun back then. It’s not fun anymore,” she said.
Video from Clark and Bluemont around 1:30 a.m. shows the chaos as people celebrated late into the night, long after the Pride festivities had ended.
Differing Opinions on Police Presence
Some residents felt the police presence was excessive. “I would go so far as to say there shouldn’t be police at Pride,” said Lakeview resident Ethan Schatz. He added that the heavy police presence had taken away the sense of pride, saying, “The number of policemen deployed everywhere is really scary. Every party will face some risk factors.”
Official Statements
District 44 City Councilman Bennett Lawson expressed his disappointment in a statement, noting the riots and praising the police and sanitation department for their response and cleanup efforts.
Karontzos emphasized that the issue was not the police but people disrespecting workers during the Pride Parade, which marred what was supposed to be a joyful day.
Pride Chicago’s Response
Pride Chicago released a statement saying: “The Pride Chicago Parade, which ended peacefully at 2 p.m., was filled with celebration and joy. Our all-volunteer organization is humbled by the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received from participants and spectators who were part of the parade festivities throughout the day.”
For more information on crime and safety in your neighborhood, visit Interactive Safety Tracker.
All rights reserved to WLS-TV © 2024.
