- Credibility:
CHICAGO — A homeowner whose crowded house party in Galewood was caught on video this weekend has been cited, police said.
The video of the party went viral this weekend, and attendees were heavily criticized by Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker. Police said about 50 people had been at the party.
“I can’t prevent people from being foolish. I wish I had that kind of power,” Lightfoot said Monday. “What we can do as a city is educate people about why taking those kinds of risks are unnecessary and foolish. Talk about personal responsibility. And then where we see it, take decisive action to make sure we shut it down.”
Officers broke up the party shortly after midnight Sunday at a home in the 2000 block of North Narragansett Avenue, police said. They sent about 50 people home and didn’t cite or arrest anyone at the time.
But after the video went viral, police cited the homeowner Monday afternoon.
The city plans to follow up with the owner and people who attended the party to monitor and mitigate potential health risks from people gathering, police said.
Large gatherings are against the state’s stay at home order to prevent the spread of coronavirus — but Lightfoot said the party wasn’t the only one police had to shut down over the weekend.
Pritzker said Monday he hadn’t seen video of the party, though he’d heard of it.
“I want to remind everyone that by doing that, by standing together, not social distancing, many people not wearing masks, you’re literally putting everyone around you in danger. You are,” Pritzker said. “They are putting you in danger. And, very importantly, all of those people are putting their families and their friends who are not there with them in danger.
“I would suggest that all of those people have violated not only the intention of the order we put out, but also they violated the trust of their friends and family.”
Under the stay at home order, police can cite and arrest people for reckless conduct, though officials have urged them to avoid that if possible.
Block Club Chicago’s coronavirus coverage is free for all readers. Block Club is an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom.
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Already subscribe? Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
