As New York City wrapped up Pride month on Sunday night, violence erupted at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, as seen in video footage.
The NYPD reported that 15 people were arrested for charges like assault, disorderly conduct, and obstructing governmental administration.
Videos online showed chaos lasting for hours. One clip showed a young woman in pink being pulled by her hair over a concrete barrier near the park’s large fountain. Another woman next to her was punched, causing her to fall. Both were repeatedly punched and thrown to the ground before their attackers fled into the crowd.
In another video, two men fought, with one being thrown down and kicked in the face. Nearby, two women also got into a fistfight.
People were seen tumbling as they fought, and at least one woman had blood on her face. Good Samaritans helped some victims out of the crowd, amid shouts and pacing.
Some people stopped to dance for the cameras, with one person even climbing a light pole to twerk.
After sunset, people continued to jump over police barriers. Many filmed the chaotic scene on their phones.
Washington Square Park, near the Stonewall Inn, a historic site in the LGBT rights movement, saw clashes just blocks away. The Stonewall Inn gained fame after protests following a police raid in 1969.
The annual Pride parade route this year went from 25th Street and Fifth Avenue, through Greenwich Village, past the Stonewall Inn, and up Seventh Avenue.
Earlier in the day, a group protesting against Israel disrupted the parade by vandalizing floats and blocking the route. Despite this, organizers didn’t let the disruption overshadow the event.