After Orlando Shooting, Organizers Of Chicago’s Pride Parade Say They Will Go On

People celebrate at the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade, Sunday, June 28, 2015, in Chicago. A large turnout was expected for gay pride parades across the U.S. following the landmark Supreme Court ruling that said gay couples can marry anywhere in the country.
People celebrate at the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade last summer. Organizers say this year's celebration will go on, despite the deadly mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando. Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo
People celebrate at the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade, Sunday, June 28, 2015, in Chicago. A large turnout was expected for gay pride parades across the U.S. following the landmark Supreme Court ruling that said gay couples can marry anywhere in the country.
People celebrate at the 46th Annual Chicago Pride Parade last summer. Organizers say this year's celebration will go on, despite the deadly mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando. Nam Y. Huh / AP Photo

After Orlando Shooting, Organizers Of Chicago’s Pride Parade Say They Will Go On

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Organizers of Chicago’s annual pride parade say the event will go on despite the worst mass shooting in US history at an Orlando gay nightclub on Saturday.

The parade will have 160 off duty cops working security—up from 90 last year, said the parade’s coordinator Richard Pfeiffer.

That was decided before the Orlando shooting, but Pfeiffer says he’ll be meeting with city officials next week to talk about adding more security.

There will be a moment of silence for the dozens killed in Orlando during Chicago’s Pride parade. 

“But it’s also a celebration,” Pfeiffer says. “We’re not going to let one person push us back into the closet. We are going to be out there proud of who we are. Marching in the streets and the sunshine. And being who we are, proud of who we are.” 

Mayor Rahm Emanuel called on Chicagoans to “not cower in the face of terrorism or terrorists who are trying to intimidate us.” The mayor told reporters Monday that the Pride parade is a place where Chicagoans can “express our common values of inclusion.”

The parade is scheduled for Sunday, June 26th.

Lauren Choolijan contributed to this story.