A recent event in New York City has drawn criticism after footage was released showing a large crowd of concertgoers dancing in close proximity. On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered under the Kosciuszko Bridge for a secret concert. It’s been reported that police had trouble breaking up the gathering due to its immense size.
Gothamist shared a video of the event on their YouTube channel, in which attendees can be seen ignoring many of the social distancing guidelines world health experts have suggested amidst the global health crisis. While the footage captured many attendees wearing masks, almost no one was abiding by the six-foot spacing recommendations.
When speaking to the publication, one of the organizers (who asked to remain anonymous) explained that the event did indeed get out of control, but they believe that was due to attendees’ overwhelming desire to get out once again.
“If you think people aren’t going to gather, you’re a fool—there’s no stopping that,” said the organizer. “The event got out of control because people wanted to come, people wanted to be out. People have been cooped up for so long. The pressure is building, and people need a release. It’s already happening. We can do it more safely, or we can pretend it isn’t happening.”
The aforementioned organizer is a part of an organization named Renegade. They’ve stated that there were multiple signs and announcements encouraging attendees to wear a mask and use hand sanitizer throughout the show. On the Fourth of July, they hosted an event in support of Black Lives Matter at the same location.
Throughout the summer, Renegade provided power and sound equipment to protestors in support of the same cause. The most recent gathering was held in support of the Legal Aid Society which seeks to provide equal civil legal services to all.
Image credit: Dawid Łabno
