Chicago City Wire

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has come under fire for attending a party for President-elect Joe Biden after keeping Chicago on lockdown due to COVID-19.

Lightfoot said during the event everyone was wearing masks, the Hill reported.

“I will tell you in that big crowd a week ago, everybody was wearing masks,” Lightfoot said on MSNBC.

After the event, Lightfoot issued a new 30-day stay-at-home order.

“Mask compliance in our city is actually up very, very high,” Lightfoot said, the Hill reported. “Yes, there are times when we actually do need to have ... relief and come together, and I felt like that was one of those times.”

Lightfoot said that when everyone gathered to celebrate Biden’s victory, it was because 2020 was a hard year. She said regardless of if she had been there, the crowd would’ve gathered.

“That crowd was gathered whether I was there or not, but this has been a super hard year on everyone,” Lightfoot said, the Hill reported. “Everyone feels traumatized. They feel threatened, their safety, and they don’t know what tomorrow’s going to bring.”

Lightfoot said there was now a surge in cases.

“With this new surge in cases, we have just got to step up and do the right thing, and I think people understand that,” Lightfoot said, the Hill reported. “Right now, the biggest risk that we’re seeing in our city is in these private spaces and gatherings. So, we want to support our economy as best as we can, but we’ve got to do the things that we know are necessary to save lives.”

In the latest stay-at-home order, Lightfoot has ordered residents to stay home and only leave for essential activities, like school or grocery shopping. She has told them not to gather with anyone who isn’t in their immediate household and avoid non-essential travel.