Paralyzing traffic on Chicago’s famous Michigan Avenue, demonstrators used Black Friday’s prominence to declare that the mayor, police commissioner and prosecutor must step down.
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They chanted “16 shots!” Bobby Rush and Danny Davis walked with the throng.
The latest round of protests started on Tuesday, with the release of video from the dashboard camera of a Chicago Police vehicle, showing Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting 17-year-old McDonald.
The rioting emerged following a local Chicago news story that a white police officer with the Chicago Police Department had been charged with the murder of Laquan McDonald who was shot 16 times by the same officer; and when it became national news and hit social media outlets, what was suppose to be a peaceful rally turned it an angry mob.
Donna More, also former prosecutor who is looking to take Alvarez’ seat, also posted a statement to Facebook after Van Dyke was charged questioning why the charges didn’t come earlier. They see that beyond approaching the dead or dying teen to kick the knife from his hand, no one so much as checked on him during the duration of the time the video covers. Van Dyke was being held separate from the general inmate population at his request, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Department. McDonald spins around and falls to the pavement as Van Dyke keeps shooting.
Murder charges were filed against Slager on April 7, less than an hour after the city’s mayor and police chief received the video, officials said at that time.
In addition to protests that targeted retail operations, the Rev. Jesse Jackson led a large group in prayer and a moment of silence Friday in honor of McDonald, who was killed on October 20, 2014. “Let them just feel the empty cash registers”.
Foxx also added that the delays created more tension between Chicago communities and the Chicago Police Department, making it more hard for officers to do their jobs.
“The city, from what we can tell, covered up basically a murder, for either political gains or what have you. But unfortunately, the community, the target that is being told to remain peaceful, is not the Chicago Police Department”.
“That needs to end”, Chapman said. He noted there’s a lot of energy in the aftermath of the video being released but wondered whether protesters will be able to maintain their momentum.
“Other people shouldn’t have to pay for what happened to him”, she said. We’re trying to help them do what they want to do, quite frankly, and we’re going to do it in a professional manner; but we will not allow criminal behavior, quite frankly. This traditional day of sales is the official kickoff of the holiday shopping season that ordinarily packs Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile. A Saks Fifth Avenue store redirected shoppers to an employee entrance in the back of the building where salespeople guided them up stairs, through back storerooms and onto the showroom floor. In particular, the protesters impeded the property rights of business owners. Protesters also blocked entrances to the Apple store, H&M, Columbia, and several other stores.
The idea was to cost businesses money because the publicity surrounding it would discourage shoppers from even venturing into the area. “If the defense can make any valid case for self-defense, manslaughter seems more appropriate”. Some even snapped photos of the crowd.
“Honestly it’s the cold that’s likely to scare us away first”, said Christopher Smithe, who was visiting from London with his girlfriend.
The protesters say Emanuel, McCarthy and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez need to go.
After protesters began blocking other stores along Michigan Avenue, the front revolving doors at Water Tower Place were locked. A police spokesman said three people were arrested, two traffic-related and a third related to a battery.
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Information for this article was contributed by Sara Burnett of The Associated Press and by Juan Perez Jr., Grace Wong, Kate Thayer, Lolly Bowean and Jeff Coen of the Chicago Tribune.
