About two dozen demonstrators marched into city hall threatened protests on Black Friday in Chicago’s main shopping area.
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The footage has sparked angry protests in Chicago, with more demonstrations expected in the coming days despite appeals for calm.
Chicago police say that four people were arrested during the second night of largely peaceful demonstrations following the release of a video showing last year’s shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by a police officer. McDonald was shot 16 times by Van Dyke, who according to court documents, began firing within 30 seconds of getting on the scene and six seconds of getting out of his patrol vehicle, according to court documents.
Among the marchers was 73-year-old Frank Chapman of Chicago, who said the disturbing video confirms what activists have said for years about Chicago police brutality.
Some even say the year-long delay was meant to help Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel get re-elected earlier this year.
Carter and others want the Department of Justice to investigate the Chicago Police Department and its history of covering up bad behaviour.
The Urban League of Chicago joined in the call for an investigation, alleging a pattern of “discriminatory harassment” against black people. Wednesday, various advocacy groups, community leaders and politicians, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, voiced their desires to prevent recurrences of these brutal police shootings which gained public awareness following the Trayvon Martin shooting.
Hundreds of people marched in Chicago and screamed at police, after a Chicago police officer was charged with murder in the shooting death of a black teen. Several local branches of the NAACP called for changes to a police review board that they said was too cozy with the department itself and urged a federal investigation into that board.
Others are yelling at the police officers lining the route.
McDonald had a 3-inch knife and, according to toxicology tests, had PCP in his system.
“Indict, convict, send the killer cops to jail”, people shouted as they marched about half a mile to the Chicago Police Department.
Herbert, Van Dyke’s attorney, has said his client “truly was in fear for his life, as well as the lives of his fellow officers”.
Still, some feel that the year that officials spent dragging their feet over the release of the video smacks of political calculations.
Van Dyke has been ordered held without bond.
The Chicago Tribune reports (http://trib.in/1IhGV0f ) that parents have received a letter from Chief Education Officer Janice Jackson assuring them the video won’t be shown in schools.
The police dash camera video shows Laquan McDonald, 17, walking down a street as police were searching for a suspect in a series of auto break-ins. Within seconds he is shot, spins and crumples to the ground, his body jerking as he is hit by more gunshots. Four of the allegations were proven factual, but Van Dyke’s actions were deemed lawful and appropriate.
Community activist Jedidiah Brown said the video was extremely upsetting to people like London, one of the five arrested.
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Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said he believes the protests have gone “exceptionally well” in large part because his officers have gone out of their way to let demonstrators express their outrage. He further said that McDonald had already “punctured a tire on a police car” when Van Dyke encountered him.
