CHICAGO — With anti-LGBTQ sentiment on the rise, Chicago Pride event organizers have been forced to put more time, effort — and money — into security.
Hate crimes against queer people have spiked in recent years across the country, the New York Times reports, citing an upcoming report from the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University. The change comes as anti-LGBTQ legislation sweeps the nation.
The US saw a 52 percent increase in anti-gay hate crimes in 2022, the report shows. And this year is on track to be even worse.
These threats have forced Chicago organizers to start having conversations about security earlier than usual and with more intensity than in previous years, they said.
During the initial planning stages of Andersonville’s annual Midsommarfest, which took place June 9-11, organizers met with the FBI to ensure they were prepared to respond to any potential safety threats, said Charlie Wein, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce’s director of marketing and communications.
RELATED: Everything You Need To Know About Chicago’s 2023 Pride Parade
This is a common practice for larger festivals, but hadn’t been a part of Midsommarfest’s planning process in past years, Wein said.
“It was one of those things where we were sitting around saying, ‘I can’t believe we have to talk about this,’” Wein said. “It’s kind of crazy that we’re living in a time where we have to really sit down and make security one of the main points we start with.”
Similar conversations took place as organizers planned Northalsted’s Pride Fest, which took place June 17-18, said Kevin Barbeau, executive director of the Northalsted Business Alliance.
The event planners spoke with city, state and federal law enforcement agencies about how to protect people during large gatherings and how to handle emergency situations, Barbeau said. The cost of security increased from past years, like most other festival costs typically do, but didn’t hinder organizers, he added.
“Regardless of the event or the location, we unfortunately live in a time where a violent person or group can create a catastrophe,” Barbeau said. “In service to our community and to event attendees, we take seriously our threat vulnerability assessment work so that we can ensure, to the extent possible, that effective procedures, security presence and protective infrastructure [are] a part of our festivals.”
Fortunately, there were no direct safety threats at either of these events, Wein and Barbeau said.
“We attribute that to our planning and collaboration, to the love and support in our community, and to our city and state government for clearly and consistently asserting that LGBTQ+ rights are human rights,” Barbeau said.
Due to an increased awareness of safety concerns, the community as a whole became much more engaged in protecting each other, Wein said.
“The planning this year has definitely felt more like a community effort than it did before,” Wein said. “We know that dangerous things happen, but there’s this tacit understanding between everyone that we’re not going to let these things stop the celebration. It’s almost like we doubled down to say, ‘We won’t let this stop us.’”
Attendees can keep each other safe by staying alert and notifying festival security if they notice anything that seems suspicious, Wein and Barbeau said.
For example, attendees should say something if they notice unattended bags that seem out of place or see someone hiding a bag as they go through entrance security. It’s also good to alert security if attendees notice anyone who seems like they’re in trouble or if someone seems uncomfortable by somebody approaching them, Wein said.
“It can be hard to describe what to look for at a festival because you might not know if something is suspicious until you see it happen,” Wein said. “So, it’s just about keeping an eye out.”
Although large crowds can be a target, they can also be a “force for safety” if attendees band together to ensure each other’s protection, Barbeau said.
“And really, simply standing together and celebrating proudly sends a message of strength, that violent acts meant to subdue LGBTQ+ freedom and equality will not work,” Barbeau said.
Chicago’s Pride Parade kicks off at noon Sunday, and the city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications told the Windy City Times safety is a top priority.
“OEMC will also activate the city’s Emergency Operations Center EOC for Chicago’s Pride Parade on June 25 in order to monitor the event and manage resources,” a spokesperson told the Windy City Times. “Public safety remains the City of Chicago’s top priority.”
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