Illicit Brooklyn Rave at Prospect Park Attracts Thousands Amid Ongoing Pandemic

Despite concerted efforts in recent weeks by the state of New York to curtail illicit raves amid the ongoing pandemic, a massive event was organized at Prospect Park in Brooklyn on Sunday, August 9th, 2020.

According to a report by the New York Post, over 1,500 people attended the "Litnic 20" rave and the majority did not wear masks, partying into the early hours of Monday, August 10th and ignoring social distancing measures. Following the event, the park was reportedly left in shambles and CBS New York called it a "wasteland."

"Illegal gatherings like the one held last night in Prospect Park present significant challenges for safety and undercut our maintenance efforts," said a spokesperson for the Parks Department. "The condition of the Nethermead is totally unacceptable."

One of the event's hosts, Kyle Rhodes, told the New York Post that the party was organized to "give back to the people and provide a safe place for young adults to gather and socialize." View a flier below, shared via Twitter, in which the poster writes, "They can’t stop us."

The news of the Prospect Park rave arrives after a slew of similar events that led to New York's increased efforts to control and reduce illegal gatherings. Police recently seized a boat operating as a "floating nightclub" before arresting its owners for violating the city's social distancing provisions and ban on large gatherings. One day prior, an unlicensed rave took place under Brooklyn's Kosciuszko Bridge in which public safety ordinances were largely ignored.

Following "Safe & Sound," a July 2020 concert in the Hamptons headlined by The Chainsmokers, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state's Department of Health would conduct an investigation into the show. The event was panned for its purported lack of social distancing enforcement, which was evident in videos that were proliferated via social media, after its promotion as a drive-in concert.