Hundreds of people dressed in rainbow colors proudly marched the streets of Downtown Buffalo.
The Annual Gay Pride Parade and events following at Canalside brought thousands to the Queen City. With such large crowds and just hours after the London attack, the number one thing on some people's minds was security. Although there was a strong police presence at Buffalo Pride Events. At Canalside Buffalo Police Officers were keeping their eyes peeled.
" I have never felt unsafe in Buffalo. I've always felt supported. I've always felt proud," Devlynn Neu, Buffalo Pride Event attendee said.
"We don't see a lot of gay communities holding our pride events and patting people down and running metal detectors. We don't see a lot of paranoia," Edward Garrett, Buffalo Pride Event attendee said.
Steven MacMartin, Director of the Homeland Security Bachelors Degree Program at Medaille College worries that some event goes and travelers lack personal security, which could make them more vulnerable.
"People think they are observant. People think they are vigilant. People want to be observant or vigilant, but that goes out the window in the first five minutes," MacMartin said.
MacMartin said you must always be alert and mindful of strange activity around you, always look for ways to exit an event other than the main entrances, and never get caught up in crowded lines with a cluster of people.
"You may have to kind of ratchet up your overall everyday level of awareness up to a point it takes work to maintain," MacMartin said.
