Anti-police protests broke out in Chicago after the recent release of a police dash-cam video showing a white police officer, Jason Van Dyke, shoot and kill 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who seemed to be walking away in the video, with 16 bullets.
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Dozens of students of different races laid down in front of City Hall for 16 minutes at the start of the work day, some holding signs reading “Do No Harm”.
The United States Department of Justice will investigate whether the Chicago Police Department has systematically violated the civil rights of citizens when it uses force and deadly force. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s spokeswoman, Shannon Breymaier, was part of an e-mail chain inquiring about whether the city could release video of the shooting, and a top assistant in the corporation counsel’s office replied, “This is not a lawsuit as of now”, WMAQ reported.
Another protest was planned for evening rush hour downtown. Many activists and analysts say the steps Mayor Rahm Emanuel is taking to hold Chicago police officers accountable for abuses are way too timid. Chicago Protests Call for Mayor’s Resignation Eighty-three % of voters within the city’s 43rd ward, which incorporates Lincoln Park & the Lakeview neighborhood, voted for Emanuel within the last election, in accordance to the Chicago Board of Elections.
Emanuel, a former congressman and chief of staff to President Barack Obama, has come under fire for his handling of the city’s police force, which the Department of Justice announced on Tuesday would be subject to a federal investigation. Ford told Reuters the bill, which would not be considered until mid-January, would allow the community to prove their rhetoric is serious. “In Chicago, police receive 40% of our city’s budget to remain operational”.
Since then protesters have taken to the streets, saying that the police department is corrupt and discriminatory against blacks.
Meanwhile, the city began a nationwide search for a new police superintendent.
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In order to enhance community engagement regarding the selection process, the Police Board will host a series of community meetings to solicit public feedback.
