Orlando Massacre Not Dampening Spirits At Chicago Pride Fest
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Saturday marked the start of two weekends of gay pride in Chicago, with Pride Fest kicking off this weekend, and the Pride Parade set for next weekend; and the nightclub massacre in Orlando very much on people's minds.
"It's the gay high holy day," said one man celebrating at Pride Fest on Saturday. Another just said "it's heaven."
Josh Wright said the mass shooting at Pulse nightclub June 12, if anything, would make more people come out for Pride Week in Chicago, as a show of solidarity with the LGBT community in Orlando.
"There's a lot of friends that I know who are down about Orlando, and everything, except for there's so many more like me who are like, 'No, because of the terrible tragedy, you can't just hide in your closet. You can't go back. You have to come out. You have to be louder and prouder, and you have to fight on,'" he said. "I've been pushing people to come out, so I know a lot of my friends who normally don't will."
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Joe Gephardt said there is not a cloud over the festivities because of the Orlando massacre; he said it's the opposite.
"Pride, to me, is really just celebrating who you are, and people who you surround yourself with, and that just want to support you, and to support everyone in general. I think that there's a lot of great people that come to this event who necessarily don't identify as LGBT, but they definitely want to progress America and just stick up for everyone who just wants to be themselves," he said.
Increased security was evident at Pride Fest on Saturday, with extra eyes watching the festivities in Boystown, and bag checks at the entrances.
Police have promised an increased and more visible presence at Pride Fest and the Pride Parade in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando.
In past years, Pride Week has drawn nearly a million people to Boystown and Lakeview. Even more are expected this week.
Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson has said there is no credible threat against Chicago, but additional uniformed and plain-clothes officers have been dispatched out of "an abundance of caution." Local businesses also have hired more private security.
"I think it's a great thing that security is playing an extra role, this year especially, for the LGBTQA, because it is a safety concern," Matt Corso said. "Especially with the recent events, I think it's important that we protect the community, we keep our friends and family safe, and there should always be security, because there's always people out there that are going to hate, but this mont his a month of love."
There also will be added security at CTA stations and other high-traffic areas, downtown, and along the lakefront during Pride Week.
