Amidst heightened concerns for public safety following the shootings at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Super Bowl parade, Mayor Quinton Lucas’ determination to proceed with the St. Patrick’s Day Parade has ignited anger and skepticism among citizens.
“We have a plan for a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Kansas City,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said at a press conference on Feb. 15, according to CNN. “We have parades all the time. I don’t think they’ll end.”
Mayor Lucas pointed to the previous Super Bowl parades and the Kansas City Royals’ World Series parade in 2015 where there were no harmful incidents. “So I don’t think in any way that this is Kansas City,” Mayor Lucas said.
For some UMKC students who are shaken by the events at the Feb. 15 parade, they feel the St. Patrick’s Day Parade should be handled in a different fashion.
“I think that’s in very poor taste,” said theater major Emily Barber. “I definitely think that if it happens, it should be handled better than the last parade was. But based on [Mayor Lucas’] statement, it seems like things wouldn’t change.”
The debate has prompted discussions about relocating future parades and gatherings, with Arrowhead Stadium emerging as a potential alternative. However, doubts persist regarding the stadium’s ability to provide acceptable security measures.
“I think it would be a really good point to choose a different location,” digital media and journalism major Hali Smith said. “However, I’ve been through the gates [Arrowhead Stadium] and honestly, if they can’t up their security detail that they have for regular games, then it won’t make a difference.”
In light of the recent violence, Barber remains adamant that the parade should be canceled altogether this year to prevent further incidents.
“We’ve had multiple shootings this past year,” Barber said. “We should look at that before we plan any more large gatherings in Kansas City.”
