ST. LOUIS — Several residents, concerned about safety after an impromptu Pride event spiraled into violence last weekend, want to see bolstered security at the upcoming Grovefest.
More than 50 people have signed an asking that “organizers and city officials commit to providing adequate security” at Grovefest, to be held in October. They point to recent chaos in the Grove district, with fights, hospitalizations, a shooting and four arrests. Pride festivities typically come several weeks before Grovefest, though they are held in the same area.
Grovefest organizers, though, say they don’t plan to do anything differently this year.
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Abdul-Kaba Abdullah, executive director of Park Central Development, which hosts Grovefest, said he respects the “First Amendment right of (locals) to sign a petition.” At the same time, he doesn’t foresee major changes.
“It’s always a great environment,” he said. “It’s on its 20th year, and we’ve never had an issue.”
Police have blamed community leaders for the violence during Pride weekend, arguing the mayhem could’ve been prevented if organizers had applied for a permit. Neighborhood leaders pushed back on that claim, saying they didn’t host an event and shouldn’t be held responsible.
In the petition about Grovefest, signers ask for a “stronger security presence throughout the festival,” crowd control plans and coordination between ӣƵ police and organizers.
But Grovefest organizers already plan for all those items, plus others, Abdullah said.
“Security isn’t just armed guards walking around,” he said. “It’s barricades. It’s making sure there’s adequate lighting. It’s having EMS in case it gets too hot.”
The plans haven’t been finalized yet, Abdullah said, declining to detail what they might look like or when they’ll be finished.
He said he doesn’t understand why petitioners are asking for more security at Grovefest and not other events hosted in the district, such as the World Naked Bike Ride or Oktoberfest.
“I just don’t get why Grovefest would be singled out,” he said.
One of the petition signers, Tower Grove resident Andy Waschick, 52, said even though he feels security at Grovefest has been adequate in the past, he wants it to stay that way.
“Living in the city, there always needs to be a calming factor at play at events like this,” he said.
Waschick said he doesn’t know how improved security would look, but he hopes to see city officials and organizers cooperate.
Another person who signed the petition, Naviinesh Gunalan, 25, who lives in the Central West End, says police need to take a more active role.
“Police need to be in the crowds so they can solve issues as they’re happening, before they escalate,” he said.
Organizers obtained a permit for this year’s Grovefest, like they have for past ones and most other events held in the Grove. Lack of a permit was a prime reason why this year’s Pride weekend spiraled out of control, police spokesperson Mitch McCoy said at a press conference earlier this week.
A permit allows organizers to search attendees, close down streets and set up crowd control measures like fencing, McCoy said.
“Without a permit, the rules are much more loose,” he said. “The permit tightens those rules.”
In an email, a police spokesperson declined to detail the collaboration with Grovefest organizers, saying the department wouldn’t “discuss operational plans in detail.”
Post-Dispatch photographers capture hundreds of images each week; here's a glimpse at the week of June 8, 2025. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
