Chicago free Memorial Day BBQ drew hundreds

Hundreds gathered at St. Sabina Church on Chicago’s South Side on Saturday for a free Memorial Day barbecue billed as an alternative to “teen trend” gatherings, according to NBC Chicago. The station said the event offered free food and supervised programming during a weekend when city officials and community leaders had warned about large unsupervised youth gatherings. NBC Chicago reporter Chris Hush said the turnout reached the hundreds. The station posted its report to YouTube on May 24. Chicago officials had already put Memorial Day weekend on a heightened footing. The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications said on May 20 that it would coordinate citywide deployments with police, fire and other agencies because of crowds, events and traffic expected from May 22 through May 25. ### Where was the barbecue held, and who turned up? (youtube.com) St. Sabina Church was the site of the event, NBC Chicago said in its report. The station’s description said “hundreds gathered” there for the free Memorial Day barbecue on Saturday. NBC Chicago did not, in the material publicly visible with the clip, identify an exact attendance figure, list organizers beyond the church location, or publish a full transcript. (chicago.gov) The available description states that the barbecue was planned as an alternative to teen trend events in Chicago. ### Why was the event framed as an alternative to teen gatherings? Chicago leaders and police had spent the week before Memorial Day warning about possible “teen takeover” or “teen trend” gatherings. (youtube.com) NBC Chicago reported on May 18 that police, violence prevention groups and faith leaders were preparing for possible Memorial Day gatherings after a large crowd in Hyde Park the previous weekend. Mayor Brandon Johnson said in an April 3 social media warning, reported by NBC Chicago, that city officials were tracking five “teen trends” across Chicago that weekend and urged parents not to allow children to attend because such events were “unsafe” and could “turn deadly.” ### What had happened before Memorial Day weekend? (nbcchicago.com) Chicago police responded to a large gathering near South Cottage Grove Avenue and East 55th Street in Hyde Park at about 10:40 p.m. on a Sunday in May, NBC Chicago reported. The station said officers gave multiple warnings to disperse the crowd before a 14-year-old girl allegedly struck an officer and was later charged with aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, reckless conduct and a curfew violation. (nbcchicago.com) Brian Hopkins, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee chair, had also called for earlier curfew enforcement after another downtown teen gathering, NBC Chicago reported in April. The station said Johnson’s office and police were treating those gatherings as a public safety concern heading into the warmer months. ### What did the city say about Memorial Day weekend safety? (nbcchicago.com) The Office of Emergency Management and Communications said Chicago would have citywide deployments over Memorial Day weekend and would coordinate with the Chicago Police Department, Chicago Fire Department and other agencies. The city urged residents and visitors to use public transportation, expect heavy traffic and report suspicious activity to on-site security or 9-1-1. (nbcchicago.com) NBC Chicago reported that police also said curfew would be strictly enforced throughout the city. The station said curfew begins at 10 p.m. for minors 12 and older and at 8:30 p.m. for children younger than 12, with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays. ### What comes next after the barbecue? Monday, May 25, remained the final day of the city’s Memorial Day weekend operations plan, according to Chicago’s emergency management office. (chicago.gov) NBC Chicago’s report indicates the St. Sabina barbecue was one of the organized alternatives offered during that period, while city agencies continued monitoring crowds and enforcing curfew rules across Chicago. (nbcchicago.com)