New York City Pride celebration turns into wrestling match at Washington Square Park

A massive brawl broke out in Washington Square Park in New York City during Pride celebrations. A video shared on social media by Oliya Scootercaster on X showed men and women fighting in the park. The video showed a group of partygoers engaging in fistfights and hair-pulling battles, thrashing each other to the ground. A 20-year-old man was also shot and taken to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The police are currently searching for the shooter.

In the United States, the last Sunday of June is celebrated as “Gay Pride Day”. Pride Month honours the long fight for civil rights and the ongoing quest for equality for the LGBTQ community. It also celebrates the achievements of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals.

However, the NYC Pride celebrations turned into a free-for-all wrestling match. Onlookers gathered to witness the chaos, with many filming the violent scenes in Lower Manhattan, reported the Daily Mail.

In one clip, a woman with blood on her face and shirt lunged at another person while the crowd cheered wildly. Another clip showed two men throwing punches until one fell to the ground, followed by a fight between two women, with bystanders attempting to break it up.

Near the park’s water fountain, two women were seen fighting, with one pushing the other off the edge, causing her to fall.

Another altercation involved a woman in pink being thrown to the ground and dragged by her attacker. A small group quickly helped the injured woman, guiding her to safety as she held her head and stumbled away.

Shattered glass covered the ground, and people walked barefoot after losing their shoes in the fights.

Before the violence erupted, footage showed women twerking in a white vehicle and someone dancing on top of a light pole.

As night fell, the New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the closure of Washington Square Park over loudspeakers, leading to clashes between the police and unruly partygoers.

A 20-year-old man was also shot and taken to a local hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The police are currently searching for the shooter, reported the Daily Mail.

One witness told ABC7, “The first one, I was running. I heard two, but I didn’t know if it was a shot or not. I thought it was like a firework or something because it’s Pride, you know.”

Videos from the weekend showed many fights breaking out late Sunday and early Monday. Large crowds joined the celebrations.

Police arrested 22 people after the brawl. Sixteen people were released after being given desk appearances, while six remain in custody with charges pending.

“This is really crazy. Pride is not supposed to be like this,” a witness told the news outlet. “We’re supposed to come out and enjoy and love one another. We hope there will be no more violence and craziness.”

The reason why the massive fight broke out is still unclear, reported the Daily Mail.