Cambridge Carnival tonight announced the cancellation of the annual festival on Sept. 8.
Based on the recommendation of Cambridge Police Commissioner Branville G. Bard, Jr., and the Cambridge Carnival Committee, the City Manager Louis A. DePasquale have agreed to cancel this year’s Cambridge Carnival. This year’s event was scheduled for Sunday, September 8.
For the past 26 years, the Cambridge Carnival has been an important cultural event for the City of Cambridge and the greater region. However, there have been increasing safety concerns associated with this year’s event due in part to the gun violence that occurred last weekend in the immediate vicinity of Boston’s Caribbean Carnival Parade.
The safety of the Cambridge community and those planning to participate in this event or any Cambridge event is paramount and will always serve as the highest priority as it pertains to making difficult decisions like this.
We greatly appreciate the community and expected participants’ understanding with this decision.
Last weekend, before the start of the annual Caribbean parade down Blue Hill Avenue, several people were shot in or near Franklin Field and Harambee Park in Dorchester, one fatally.
H/t Greg Cook and Ron Newman.
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Comments
Violence is inevitable, even
By Rob
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 9:33am
If it doesn't always happen, then it's NOT inevitable.
That's not to say it's not a valid concern, and maybe canceling the Cambridge event is justified.
Huh?
By Scauma
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 2:45pm
Inevitable means certain to happen. Point being even if it doesn't happen all the time, like say last year, it's bound to happen again. Perhaps this year. Better safe than sorry.
Shortsighted
By Jay
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 9:46am
There are 250 shooting in Boston every year. You gonna cancel 60% of the year? In Cambridge?
This will cause the size of Boston Carnival too swell. Expect an extra 5-10k. This will make the carnival even more dangerous and unmanageable. Also as the lone carnival in the area Boston's Mayor will face immense political pressure to keep it going because unlike Cambridge's mayor.,Bostons mayor is popularly elected.
Wat? (tangent warning)
By cinnamngrl
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 11:20am
How is Cambridge's mayor elected?
Appointed
By Jay
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 2:37pm
Cambridge’s mayor is appointed by City council
Cambridge City Council
By Don't Panic
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 6:47pm
Cambridge City Council chooses the Mayor.
unnecessary
By berkleealum
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 9:57am
no need to cancel the event, the people doing the shooting are just the crazy ones who need help.
we shouldn’t punish the law abiding event goers who constitute the vast majority.
no need to cancel the event,
By Scratchie
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 10:27am
Do you think it would be possible to get them the help they need before next weekend?
the point *whoosh* your head
By berkleealum
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:23pm
the point
*whoosh*
your head
You got that right.
By Scratchie
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 1:08pm
You got that right.
the not crazy ones
By bostnkid
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:33pm
often it is the "law abiding event goer" that winds up with a bullet in their head when two stupid assholes open fire on each other AT A PARADE!!!!
Can't have this in new Kendall Square
By jmeltzer
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 10:38am
Bad for ... uh, something. Yeah, that's it.
The violence in Boston wasn't
By anon
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 1:59pm
The violence in Boston wasn't at the parade, it was at pre-parade parties hosted by private individuals. Is Cambridge planning to also cancel the parties they have absolutely no control over? Or are they hoping that regular people will cancel their planned events on their own and just stay home, even though for many people this is a once-per-year chance to bring together all their friends and family in celebration?
Read your own comments
By Nowy Liberté
Fri, 08/30/2019 - 2:56pm
This getting completely out of hand
People are posting about how few gun shots there were this year versus last year, or maybe it was only a "flesh wound" with a knife
Compare that kind of attitude about violence at a cultural event -- and the outcome -- to events as diverse as:
What differentiates the above -- they are "family" events with neighbors and visitors there to have fun -- not to settle scores, or see who is the biggest dog in the pack
If the Caribbean Community wants to be treated as regular members of civil society -- then they need to police their own events and neighborhoods -- gangs are not needed anywhere in a civil society.
dr. frankenstein has some responsibility too.
By schneidz
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 12:14pm
also consider that the d.r.m. is a historically designed red-lined ghettoized part of the city; which, sometimes incubates into crime due to socio-economic necessity and disfranchisement angst.
also, obviously, its the polices job to police (not the caribbean communitys):
[b]Wide gap in Boston's homicide clearance rates draws questions ...:[/b][quote]Since 2007, Boston police have made an arrest in nearly 90 percent of the homicides with white victims but only in 42 percent of the homicides with black victims, [/quote]
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2016/12/26/repor...
Cambridge isn't thinking this through
By cinnamngrl
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 11:18am
The Caribbean Festival in Boston can't be cancelled because the celebration will happen whether it is sanctioned or not. This is historical and religious. And while it isn't perfectly safe in Boston, we get better every year.
We need to acknowledge that different neighborhoods received different amounts of police protection. When the police look like the residents and their daughters are dancing in the parade it makes a difference.
America celebrates diversity
By anon
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 12:04pm
You nor anyone else should require police, firefighters, EMTs, your neighbor, to look like you.
You also imply non-Caribbean, non-People of Color are mostly racist and deserving of disrespect.
lotsa bait
By cinnamngrl
Sat, 08/31/2019 - 12:38pm
what are you insecure about? What is racist about expecting the people that work in city services to have employees that reflect the culture they are serving?
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