After seeing only a dozen arrests in 2018, Lollapalooza is seeing an uptick in the number of people being taken into custody during the 2019 festival, according to the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications.
According to data released by the department, a total of 23 people have been arrested during the first three days of the festival, with possession of a controlled substance and theft being the primary reasons for festival-goers to be taken into custody. At least 10 people have also been issued citations, mostly for trespassing by jumping over security barriers to try to sneak into the event.
While arrests have gone up this summer, the number of people being taken to area hospitals for medical treatment is on track to decrease over the 2018 event. The OEMC reports at least 88 people have been hospitalized in 2019, compared to 160 that were taken to area hospitals during the 2018 concert festival, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Lollapalooza 2019: Festival Style
Several attempts to breach security barriers around the music festival have been documented on social media, with more than 50 individuals trying to gain unauthorized access to Grant Park on Friday and dozens more attempting to get through barriers on Saturday.
Police say that despite the high number of gate-crashing attempts, they have been able to locate all individuals who breached security at the event, and have instituted new safety and security procedures to try to maintain the integrity of the barriers around the park.
Lollapalooza will wrap up on Sunday night, as Meek Mill, Kacey Musgraves, and Ariana Grande will take the stage for the festival’s final evening.
