Chicago police break up more weekend parties in effort to enforce social distancing
Chicago continues crackdown on parties
Chicago police broke up three parties on Saturday night, but no one was cited. They are also staking out locations where parties are being advertised on social media.
CHICAGO - With the weather warming up and compliance on the stay-at-home order falling, partying is a real concern in Chicago. The mayor fears large gatherings could send COVID-19 numbers to dangerous levels, and take our entire summer to correct.
The partying spilled outside Saturday night near Albany and Lexington in Homan Square. It was a large crowd not social distancing and not wearing masks. Girls were twerking in the streets, and when police showed up, it was a slow move to disperse.
Just a week ago, we saw another large party on the west side in the Galewood neighborhood. The mayor says party-goers and organizers are subject to citation, towing their cars and possibly arrest.
“We’re not looking for police to crack down on people, arrest people, that is not the intent here, but it is true that police can break up a party and shouldn’t be together in that space," said Gov. JB Pritzker on Sunday.
Chicago police broke up parties Saturday night in three locations – the 300 block of South Campbell, 3100 block of West Lexington and 3700 block of West 13th Street with no citations issued. As officers learn of parties like this one tonight at 29th and King Drive, advertised on social media as a “car meet,” they’re staking out the area with squad cars – both marked and unmarked – and tow trucks.
“Look it’s the data that tells us that if you’re a large group of people in a small space, if you can’t maintain a six foot distance between each person in a party then you shouldn’t be together in that space,” said Governor Pritzker.
What really needs to happen, say community leaders, is for young people to get the message that COVID-19 kills and although they may not get a bad case of it, they can transmit the virus to loved ones who can die from it.
“Coronavirus don’t care what color you are. It don’t care what side of the city you live on and don’t care who you voted for. It’s something that impacts us all,” said Jahmal Cole of My Block, My Hood, My City.
Jahmal Cole tells teens and 20-somethings – instead of going out tonight, watch the Jordan documentaries. Stay home, save lives, and set goals for yourself like Jordan did.
“I think that way when you don’t have goals you can fall victim to going to parties during a pandemic, or you can jump in a car with a drug dealer, but when you have goals, you’re like hold up, this isn’t on my list of plans or on my list of goals so. Goals keep you focused and goals keep a force field around you,” said Cole.