On the same day Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned that she might be forced to shut down trails and beaches along Lake Michigan to enforce the state of Illinois’ “stay-at-home” order, Chicago police were busy Wednesday evening ordering beachgoers to go home.
The Lakefront Trail was closed from Fullerton to Navy Pier on Wednesday, but it is unclear how long the closures will last.
At locations including Navy Pier and North Avenue Beach, Chicago police were busy turning residents away from the lakefront, trying to prevent large gatherings of people that would have gone against the order designed to keep people at safe distances from one another due to the coronavirus outbreak.
“I’m personally concerned about what I’ve seen in our parks,” Lightfoot said during her Wednesday afternoon press release. “There were way too many people gathering like it’s just another day.”
On The 606 running trail, crowds moved along after dinner, running and walking, but were still doing so in groups.
By the end of the day, police were dispersing crowds in parks and other public areas, enforcing a stay-at-home order that will remain in effect until April 7.
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“It’s definitely disappointing. If that’s the call they’ve made I’m sure there’s a reason for it,” one resident said.
