“We understand the importance of the event, but we must take care of our people and we cannot promote events that can potentially spread the COVID-19 pandemic which has already harshly and disproportionally hit our Mexican community,” said ambassador Reyna Torres Mendivil, consul general of Mexico in Chicago. “As tens of thousands of residents are coming together to celebrate and embrace their rich heritage and great diversity that helps to make our city what it is, we remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of all those participating in the celebratory activities,” the statement said.īecause of the pandemic, the largest Mexican Independence Day parade was canceled by the Little Village Chamber of Commerce this year, and the Mexican General Consulate will be hosting a virtual “Grito.” The Office of Emergency Management and Communications said in a statement that no street closures are planned for this year’s celebrations, but the city has “measures in place if any activity begins to escalate.” He said several groups are planning their cruises the night of the 15th and 16th. This year will be no different, said Flores. “They don’t realize that the more they (city and police) try to stop us, the more momentum they create.” “If they don’t allow us to celebrate in our neighborhoods, then we’re going to take over downtown,” said Flores. Vendors and other small business owners expressed concern because the closures forced people out of the area in what tends to be one of the most profitable weeks, said Elizeth Arguelles, a young community leader and street vendor in the area.Īngered by the closures, the caravans headed to Michigan Avenue and other major streets in downtown Chicago, prompting downtown street closures through the weekend and a complete stop to the traffic on Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive the nights of Sept. 14, 2021, as cars pass on 26th Street in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood ahead of the Sept. A Mexican flag vendor looks through the trunk of his vehicle on Sept.
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