A New York City park experienced a dramatic shift from celebration to confusion and panic on Sunday evening.
Video footage of the incident revealed Pride participants hastily clearing the area.
The cause of the sudden rush in Washington Square Park was not immediately evident.
However, according to a spokesperson from the New York Police Department, there were no gunshots and the public was not in danger.
This occurrence mirrored a similar incident during Pride 2022 in the same park, where attendees fled due to fireworks, as stated by the police. When asked if fireworks caused the stampede on Sunday, the NYPD spokesperson responded with uncertainty, saying, “We don’t know.”
Witnesses observed a fight erupting in the park just before the stampede, as reported by a videographer who shared the scene on Twitter.
Additionally, a photographer captured footage showing a significant buildup of police presence around the park’s edges.
Watch: Chaos at Pride Month event in Washington Square Park after false report of shooting