New York City’s Pride Parade ended in chaos as multiple fights broke out, necessitating police intervention. Washington Square Park became a hotbed of conflict Sunday evening as several attendees engaged in physical altercations. In one incident, a woman in a black bra and shorts fought two other women in a water fountain, pushing one to the ground and aggressively pulling another’s hair. Onlookers filmed the fight, with many jeering instead of helping.
The initial brawl among the women subsided, only for fights to reignite among a group of men, causing a chain reaction of further conflicts. The police eventually stepped in, setting up barricades and ordering people to leave as night fell. It’s unclear if any arrests were made related to the brawls, though earlier in the day, 22 people were arrested during an anti-Israel protest that temporarily disrupted the 54th Pride Parade in Greenwich Village.
The parade had resumed after the protesters were removed, with 16 individuals receiving desk appearance tickets and the rest spending the night in police custody. The violent end to the day’s celebrations marred what should have been a festive and inclusive event, casting a shadow over the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community and highlighting the need for better crowd management and safety measures at large public gatherings.
