Considering the fact that nearly 900,000 people attended this year's Gay Pride Parade, most of the attendees were well-behaved.
However, there were a few hiccups along the way.
For the most part, the Chicago Police Department, given their limited resources, did a fantastic job of keeping things under control.
Although the department was stretched beyond its means, the officers assigned to the parade worked their asses off to keep everyone safe.
If you didn't go to the parade, here's a sampling of what you missed.
Videos from the event are at the end of this article.
Photo credit: Makeitso Jim
1:10 p.m. -- Crowd control issue at Montrose and Broadway. Too many people and not enough officers.
1:13 p.m. -- Massive crowd in front of Spin nightclub. 911 caller thinks someone may get crushed.
1:15 p.m. -- Arrest at Belmont and Halsted.
1:22 p.m. -- Woman passed out at Clark and Diversey - heat exhaustion. (There were so many people passing out at the parade, I simply couldn't keep track of them.)
1:33 p.m. -- Fight at Belmont and Halsted.
1:34 p.m. -- Man sustained a cut to the bottom of his foot... bleeding profusely... ambulance requested at Halsted and Roscoe. Still waiting for medical at 1:48 p.m.
1:41 p.m. -- Missing 7-year-old boy returned to his mother at Montrose and Broadway.
1:45 p.m. -- Arrest at Sunnyside and Sheridan.
1:48 p.m. - Urgent call for more officers. Crowds have taken over the streets at Montrose and Broadway.
1:54 p.m. -- Battery offender held by security at 3356 North Halsted. Victim wants to press charges.
1:59 p.m. -- Battery victim sustained a laceration to the top of his head. Waiting for medical at 840 West Buckingham Place.
2:06 p.m. -- Person passed out in the middle of the street at 3300 North Halsted Street. Medical on scene... parade delayed.
2:19 p.m. -- People urinating in the dumpsters and in the backyard at 654 West Briar Place.
2:30 p.m. -- Man down, bleeding at 2755 North Pine Grove. He is semi-responsive. Still waiting for medical at 2:48 p.m. Man is now unresponsive.
2:33 p.m. -- Man down, unresponsive at 3641 North Halsted.
2:35 p.m. -- Police want CTA to reopen Belmont L stop. People are leaving... cops want to clear the area.
2:44 p.m. -- Large crowds tried to cram inside 3340 North Halsted. Moments later, a battery in progress was reported. Authorities announced an arrest at 2:53 p.m.
2:50 p.m. -- Two arrests at 3100 North Halsted.
2:55 p.m. -- Arrest at Halsted and Brompton.
gay people know how to have a good time and not get out of hand.
ReplyDeleteYou cant even get 100 shitskins in a movie theater without a shooting or gang attack.
Verdict:
keep the gays
exterminate the apes
Agreed with the comments of this blog writer. Last year it felt totally out of control, but this year the extended route and police seem to have done the trick. 900,000 people, or whatever the actual number is, is astounding.
ReplyDeleteCan I post my videos of Halsted St. after 7:00pm? Please?
ReplyDeleteGig is up. Unlike me to say this but "gay pride" here in Chicago is nothing but a giggaboofest. Oh Lord! Also, is "celebrating" pride now equating to lying on the side streets in packs having a private party of your own type while harrassing residents? Never again. Never.
City workers were shoveling garbage off of Broadway like it was fucking snow. Have a litte more pride please gay folk.
ReplyDeletePlz lets see the video of halsted after 7pm
ReplyDeleteIf this parade was truly 850,000 - 900,000 people of all hues, creeds and colors, then this is truly a feast for all that the city should continue to embrace.
ReplyDeleteShould also make it a larger event than the Bud Billiken Parade for black people - that marks the return of black chilluns to school - and hasnt that been a rousing success.
Sounds a lot safer than Taste, though I can imagine many of the locals just wanting to leave for the day.
ReplyDeleteNothing against the gays or all the straights who go to the parade to support them -- but street festivals/parades in general are a pain in the ass for the locals.
Agree with 4:37--I've wanted prmit parking on my block in Lincoln Square for years but will never get the signatures because everyone has Indiana, Wisconsin, California plates or is registered to mommy and daddy's home in Wilmette/Norrthbrook/take your pick.
ReplyDelete"though I can imagine many of the locals just wanting to leave for the day"
ReplyDeleteThat's what I did. Not the day, the whole weekend. Just came back this morning. Now reading the reports of all the violent crime that continued into the night, I'm glad I left!
The violent crime that you referred to was committed by the same low-lifes that infest Belmont/Halsted & area every single night.
DeleteThe media uniformly disseminated baseless information by attributing the violence to post-parade revelry.
The blacks parasites that come out every night were same ones.
It is genetically hardwired into blacks to swarm anything "free".
ReplyDeleteAnd agreed on the garbage thing. In previous "pride" fests I've seen the garbage contained to the main drags (no pun intended). Two side streets in Lakeview, including my own, where TRASHED. Broken glass shattered everywhere, garbage, food wrappers, more broken glass. It wasn't just the stray political hand-out crap that blew away.
ReplyDeleteSomebody commented they needed to "beef up police". Halsted Street was NOTHING but constant roaring police sirens up and down that strip after 8:00 p.m. That's the main reason I left. There was most obviously alot of trouble.
Are mob dry-humping attacks on the hood of every 3rd vehicle trying to get by and obviously recording it for worldhiphop dot com a "pride" fest? These people weren't gay. A cab driver opened his door while they "restrained" him, trouble was about to start but they let him go. They will not budge or be respectful of other people trying to pass on the sidewalks. I saw many, including myself, walking in the street along side moving vehicles just to get by.
I live here, I've been to the strip many times after the parade over the years. This one was the worst.
Who were these hooligans who began there shenanigans after 8pm?
DeleteLocal gay white boys with too much to drink?
Amish?
Blacks?
Last year when I went I saw nothing but doughy topless girls whose guts contained more mass than their breasts. Yuck
ReplyDeletenext year its open season on the nigs during the parade.
ReplyDeleteWatch your silver backs ....
Most of the people causing problems on halsted at night were drunk ass white girls puking everywhere. I saw at least 4 get put in to ambulances. The blacks were near Broadway and Belmont in a big group, surrounded by cops.
ReplyDeleteHow many throats did the drunk white chicks slash?
ReplyDeleteFifty, you dumb fuck. Now stfu and go back to your moms basement
Delete