Sunday, July 31, 2011

Police Order Quarantines Neighborhood from Hip Hop Festival

Attendees of this year's Woodstars Festival might have had a hard time parking, thanks to a Chicago Metropolitan police order.  Whole neighborhoods surrounding the fairgrounds at Proviso East High School have been blocked by barricades (as seen below) and the police presence is undeniable.  The so-called 'authorities' "descend[ed] upon Maywood in droves, arriving by police cruiser, ATV and horseback." [OP-RF Patch]


Here is a google maps image to illustrate the situation.  The zones outlined in red are blocked at each individual street by barricades.  The X at the top by the forest preserves shows where police in ATVs were camped out, the triangle is the location of the festival, and Washington Street (circled) is where the most police have been situated. 


Click to enlarge






 According to the Oak Park-River Forest Patch, a local news site, the increase in police presence is to handle the estimated crowd of 20,000 attending the festival, but these restrictions seem to be bent on keeping the mass of "outsiders" away from residential neighborhoods.  The police standing around have been in full-intimidation mode- some with riot gear, others with assault weapons, K9 units standing by, the works- which is not so helpful in my opinion.  They also closed off the only plentiful source of public parking available for the festival.  Streets with no signs on them, completely open for unlimited public use on any other day, have been littered with signs reading "Resident Parking Only- Police Order." 


But, according to a bulletin released by Forest Park, even residents who have guests parking in front of their houses are required to submit a report to the police so they don't come by and ticket the car. [Village Bulletin]


Is this supposed to be help? Because it makes me afraid to drive through my own town.



18 comments:

  1. wow, did they atleast designate parking areas for the visitors? or just prohibited parking around the location?

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  2. damn thats some intense crackdown, they are probably thinking to be safe than sorry

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  3. no parking area to use while a festival...?
    CHAOS! ^^

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  4. I'm betting that they were itching to use the newest crowd control weapons and this was a way to incite a ruckus to test them out.

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  5. Is there more to this I don't think I'm seeing them all lol. Did the police gave the festival at least a place for people to park?

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  6. I don't understand what people are thinking sometimes. I suppose your town HAS had it's share of trouble with regards to events....Still idiotic.

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  7. That seems counterproductive. Instead of blocking the roads why not just have more patrols?

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  8. I'm glad I don't have to deal with this :/

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  9. I would like it if I lived in an area where parking is hard to find.

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  10. Christ, sounds like a madhouse. Reminds me of the OC fair.

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  11. Good post and good blog. Supported!

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  12. Pretty lame that the residents have to be inconvenienced like that.

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  13. Lots of walking, good exercise at least.

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