Hundreds of young people and Chicago police officers flooded the Loop on the Fourth of July, clashing at times, as fireworks exploded in densely-populated areas and dumpster fires raged.
About 8:30 p.m., the contents of a dumpster burned on North Garland Court. When the Chicago Fire Department arrived to extinguish the flames, a firework went off around the corner. An hour later, another dumpster fire blazed on Garland to the west of the Chicago Cultural Center.
Someone set off fireworks in front of Staples at North Wabash Avenue and East Washington Street, sending tiny bursts cascading above the street.
A police supervisor picked up a Roman candle as a crowd of people ran by.
A dumpster fire on North Garland Court on Sunday night, July 4, 2021. (Armando Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
About 9:35 p.m., another group surrounded a car and some people jumped on top of it near the Washington and Wabash “L” station.
On Washington, a couple of blocks from Millennium Park, a large group rushed east as police handcuffed a woman in the middle of the street.
Then, Roman candles were set off on Washington as cars were stopped in traffic. A few minutes later, large bursts lit up the sky a block west.
Shortly before 11 p.m., police began moving crowds west, chanting “move back” as groups headed toward Wabash. Loud booms continued to go off. Someone bashed a car going down the street.
Chicago police officers and hundreds of young people flood the Loop on Sunday, July 4, 2021. (Armando Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
As crowds dissipated, some small groups stopped to dance. On State Street, someone jumped up on a squad car momentarily before crowds continued south.
Early Monday, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said more than 60 arrests were made and two officers were injured. Updated figures weren’t immediately available.
For about a decade, Chicago police have periodically dealt with large crowds of teens who gather in the downtown area to spend time along the lakefront and around Water Tower Place, Millennium Park or other spots when the weather warms up.
On Sunday, Millennium Park was closed early.
Check back for updates.
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