Woman attacked in shocking Pride parade beating caught on video
As New York City's Pride month came to an end Sunday evening, violence broke out at Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, video shows.
"A total of 15 individuals were taken into custody for various charges including assault, disorderly conduct and obstructing governmental administration," the NYPD told Fox News Digital.
The disorder stretched on for hours, according to a series of videos posted online.
A young woman in pink was yanked from behind by the hair over a concrete barrier at the edge of the park's massive fountain.
A moment later, someone punched the woman standing next to her in the face, sending her tumbling down as well. Video shows both women punched in the face repeatedly, and thrown across the ground by their assailants before they escaped into the crowd.
Another clip showed two men trading punches before one was thrown to the ground and another man ran in and kicked him in the face. Steps away, a fistfight broke out between two more women.
People tumbled to the pavement as they swung at each other, and at least one woman made her way through the crowd with blood on her face.
A couple of good Samaritans could be seen helping the victims to their feet and walking them out of the crowd, as other people were shouting and pacing back and forth.
Some stopped to twerk for the cameras, including one person who climbed on top of a light pole to do it.
People continued to hop over police barriers after sunset. Dozens of people could be seen holding their phones out, filming the crowd.
Police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Washington Square Park is in the city's Greenwich Village neighborhood, just a couple of blocks from the Stonewall Inn, which became a landmark in the LGBT rights movement after days of protests erupted after a police raid on the bar in June 1969.
A year later, organizers held a march in Manhattan, which became the precursor to the city's annual Pride parade, according to officials.
This year's route took marchers from 25th Street and Fifth Avenue south into Greenwich Village, past the Stonewall Inn and then up Seventh Avenue.
A group of anti-Israel protesters also disrupted the parade earlier Sunday, vandalizing floats and blocking the route.
Organizers appeared to shrug off that disruption.
"It is certainly a more active presence this year in terms of protest at Pride events," Sandra Pérez, the executive director of NYC Pride, told The Associated Press. "But we were born out of a protest."
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