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Fifty-Two Arrested During Pride Parade and Its Aftermath, Police Say

By Ariel Cheung | June 30, 2015 5:45am

BOYSTOWN — The high-five happiness of the Pride Parade dwindled as night fell on Halsted Street Sunday night, with pockets of bargoers wandering the streets of Lakeview and at least two people injured in violent assaults.

Before midnight after the 2015 Chicago Pride Parade, police began herding crowds away from the parade route, forming long lines to push people south on Halsted Street from Aldine Avenue. Officers called for people to clear the area and shined flashlights at some. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]

During the parade itself, 15 people were arrested for misdemeanors, while one person was arrested for felony DUI, Chicago Police said Monday. Nine people received tickets.

From Sunday into early Monday, another 52 arrests were made that were related to the parade, police said.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) will meet with city departments to discuss the parade, but no decision has been made as to whether the parade will remain in Boystown in 2016, his office said Monday.

Almost two hours after the parade ended, a 19-year-old woman was shot in the elbow in the 1000 block of West Wilson Avenue in Uptown, police said. She was taken to the hospital in good condition, police said. Ald. James Cappleman's office (46th) was unable to say whether the shooting was part of the parade aftermath.

One man was later stabbed in the 1000 block of West Belmont Avenue and taken to the hospital, where his condition was stabilized, police said. No one is in custody, and there was no indication the stabbing was related to the earlier parade celebrations, police said. Chicago Police have yet to confirm reports of a second stabbing at Halsted and Aldine about 30 minutes later.

Belmont Avenue is bathed in blue light from police cruisers near the Belmont Red Line station around midnight after the 2015 Chicago Pride Parade. [DNAinfo Chicago/Ariel Cheung]

Police blocked off portions of Halsted Street from traffic and stopped vehicles from driving east on Belmont Avenue from Clark Street. Clusters of people filled the sidewalks, many stationary until officers were told to keep them moving.

Before midnight, police began herding crowds away from the parade route, forming long lines to push people south on Halsted Street from Aldine Avenue. Officers called for people to clear the area and shined flashlights at some.

Security officers were also on hand from several separate groups, including the Northalsted Business Alliance. One was seen shooing a bystander off the front steps of a North Halsted business around 11:40 p.m.

As crowds moved south toward the Belmont Red Line, the resulting swell of people at Belmont and Sheffield avenues led to overcrowded, congested sidewalks and at least two people detained when a fight broke out.

Some second shift officers were kept past midnight to deal with the large crowds, but were released about an hour later.

By 12:30 a.m., officers were cutting off alcohol sales at bars in the area, earlier than the 2 a.m. closing time agreed upon by after-hours bars as part of efforts to calm Pride celebrations and subsequent mayhem.

Streets were also reopening just after 1 a.m.

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