Puerto Rican Parade in Humboldt Park: violence? (Chicago, Justice: crime, gangs)

[lenniel]

Was thinking about taking in this parade for the first time b/c I heard the food is fantastic but then I heard that there are tons of gang bangers around and there's always some fighting etc.

Anyone have comments on this?

[Jesse69]

I hated the big traffic mess that it caused!

[Venom]

There might be fights, but that's at every big event.
As long as you don't pick fights you will be aiight

[Los Guys]

I was there on Saturday from about 2-4PM. The crowd was still pretty sparse, but cars (I'm assuming that had driven up from the parade) were honking and speeding around the outside of the park. There were lots of families with kids, and while there were def some shady looking characters, everyone there was very friendly. I imagine as the night went on, things could have got a little rougher. Interestingly enough the toughest looking dudes were the most willing to step aside to let my family through with our stroller.

[chet everett]

Originally Posted by Los Guys

I was there on Saturday from about 2-4PM. The crowd was still pretty sparse, but cars (I'm assuming that had driven up from the parade) were honking and speeding around the outside of the park. There were lots of families with kids, and while there were def some shady looking characters, everyone there was very friendly. I imagine as the night went on, things could have got a little rougher. Interestingly enough the toughest looking dudes were the most willing to step aside to let my family through with our stroller.

Whether you are talking about the Sicilian Mob sponsoring festivals on the palazo or the Chicago Outfit guys being big donors to local churches or Jeff Fort having ties to 'community organizers' or the various Hispanic gangs being supportive of 'family oriented' events the BIG BUSINESS aspects of organized crime mean you DO NOT start trouble at visible events if you want the cash flowing in.

Heck at something the PR Day I suspect the higher ups in the organized gangs specifically tell the foot soldiers that anything that draws attention to any potential criminal activity would be dealt with INTERNALLY more harshly!

The real deal gang bangers know it is worse than stupid to start trouble at a visible even with cops all over and TV news crews starving for bad news on a holiday and THAT would result in a massive scale up of Dept of Justice anti-organized crime action that would put the gangs out of business...

[Chicagoland60426]

When is the PR parade or has it pass already?

[ChiMack]

it passed

[Costa Rica Chica]

From the Redeye this morning (or course it was at 8:30 p.m.):

1 Stabbed at Fight Near Festival

At least one man was stabbed during an altercation near the Fiesta Puertorriquena in Humboldt Park on Saturday night, officials said. A 25 year-old man was stabbed in the park near West Evergreen and North California Avenues about 8:30 p.m., said Fire Department spokesman Quentin Curtis.

[OrangeAndBlue]

I was there from about 9pm until it closed on Saturday night. I didn't feel uncomfortable or unsafe one bit, there were lots of families and kids. I think the Taste of Chicago is scarier and the food at the PR festival was waaay better (and cheaper). I had a good time.
There definitely was a HUGE police presence though, especially at close.

[Chicagoland60426]

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue

I was there from about 9pm until it closed on Saturday night. I didn't feel uncomfortable or unsafe one bit, there were lots of families and kids. I think the Taste of Chicago is scarier and the food at the PR festival was waaay better (and cheaper). I had a good time.
There definitely was a HUGE police presence though, especially at close.

Yeah the Taste of Chicago do bring in a lot of shady people, and some of them don't come for the food. I was there last year, and it was so many dudes in groups walking around. Any event that is free to get in, expect some thugs/rough necks to be there.