Several people were injured when chaos erupted during the Baltimore Pride parade, where Mace was sprayed during a fight and firework sounds filled the area.
Baltimore police said two groups who were attending the event had gotten into a fight, where pepper spray was used by some involved, officials said in a statement to The Independent. Three people were hit by the spray, which police first described as a “chemical agent.” They were treated and released at a nearby hospital.
Authorities said a description of people involved in the fight was not available.
Police say they were not the ones who released the spray. The pepper spray was thought to have been released in front of the main stage at the Baltimore Pride Block Party on Saturday night, where headliner Saucy Santana was performing, according to The Baltimore Banner.
At the same event, fireworks had also been set off at the same time, police said. That led people to panic and run from the area, believing a shooting might have started. Video showed the moment the panic crowd started to flee from a nearby stage.
Several people were injured as they attempted to leave the area. It is unclear exactly how many people were injured and what type of injuries they sustained.
Those who were injured were treated on the scene and the event was “shut down,” police said.
Cockeysville resident Kate Bowers told the local outlet she and her friends were standing to the side of the stage during the main stage performance when the chaos erupted.
“All of a sudden, people were screaming and running. It was like a bomb went off. The air was so thick,” Bowers told the outlet.
“People were throwing up. People were pouring water in each other’s eyes. There was a little kid in a stroller. They were pouring water in the child’s eyes,” Bowers recalled, saying that she and her friends ran to an open parking lot.
Baltimore Pride held a parade and block party on North Charles Street on Saturday starting at 1pm and was due to finish at 9pm.
Baltimore’s Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Command Staff and police department members all marched “showing their support for the LGBTQIA+ community” on Saturday, they wrote on Facebook.
“A special thank you to all the officers working tirelessly this weekend. Your hard work has not gone unnoticed,” the post wrote. “Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful celebration!”
The Pride Center of Maryland has convened the Baltimore Pride Festival, the largest cultural event in Maryland, for over 40 years.
Starting as a small event in 1975, it now attracts over 100,000 attendees each year to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues and provide entertainment and advocacy, according to its website.
