chicagotribune--2020-06-05--George Floyd fallout: Kanye West appears to join march on South Side; large crowds turn out across c

George Floyd fallout: Kanye West appears to join march on South Side; large crowds turn out across city and suburbs; Brickyard Mall incident under investigation; Lightfoot denounces vigilantism in Bridgeport

Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined Thursday to comment on video from the Brickyard Mall where an officer knelt on a woman , saying it ’ s an ongoing investigation , but promised that the police oversight agency investigating “ is doing everything it can to identify the officers and then make an appropriate recommendation.
” Meanwhile , Cook County State ’ s Attorney Kim Foxx ’ s office said that it was conducting its own review of the incident in collaboration with the FBI .
Hours earlier , the attorney for the woman , Mia Wright , demanded a criminal investigation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city will not tolerate vigilantism after groups of mostly white men patrolled the streets of Bridgeport on Wednesday night in response to a nearby city protest .
The situation in Bridgeport frightened and angered many residents and activists who expressed concerns about racism and violence .
Additionally , state health officials are urging anyone who participated in mass gatherings following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis to be tested for COVID-19 , and said tests are now available to everyone regardless of symptoms at 11 state-run sites .
The South Side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , emerged after a series of speeches from students and activists .
He did not address the crowd and appeared to have left a half hour later as marchers continued north on State .
8:21 p.m. : Large crowds turn out at suburban events to decry racism in aftermath of George Floyd ’ s death More than 400 protesters marched through the streets of Grayslake on Thursday afternoon , decrying racism and police actions in the deaths of African Americans in several recent tragedies across the country .
Chanting the names of George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the crowd stretched about a half-mile and shut down Illinois Route 83 and the entrance to the College of Lake County .
The march was one of many similar events held throughout the suburbs this week that have drawn large crowds .
Many of the protesters in Grayslake were students from local schools .
The protesters , some of whom wore red shirts , carried signs reading , “ Black Lives Matter “ and chanted , “ No justice , no peace , no racist police.
” “ I ’ m out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing people who look like me getting killed across the country , “ said Jeremy Glende , 21 , of Gurnee .
Protesters were trying to broaden the focus , he said , from just one incident to many .
Read more here .
—Robert McCoppin A crowd of a few hundred people , skewing young , showed up Thursday evening under a clear sky outside the closed Zenos Colman Elementary School on the South Side to call for the removal of Chicago police from Chicago Public Schools .
Protesters held signs with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ No more CPD in CPS.
” Organizers walked around with hand sanitizer and water bottles .
The crowd cheered “ Books not cops ” as students shared stories about the possibilities of what the cost of the police contract could instead fund .
Michelle Yisrael , a nearby resident , said she came to the gathering because most of the men in her life , including her adult sons , have had problems with police .
“ And also I am an educator , and I never thought it was OK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the high schools .
That ’ s never been OK with me .
“ I think it ’ s important for us to think about the fact that black people did not choose to be here , ” she said .
“ We built this place .
It ’ s just time for things to change .
I would like to see my grandchildren and my great grandchildren have a different experience.
” “ I just want to get out here and show my support for the young people and let them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
—Morgan Greene Crowds of hundreds of young people and other Chicagoans gathered at Oz Park near Lincoln Park High School Thursday evening to rally and demand that the city defund the police .
Many gathered on the peak of a nearby hill holding signs , clapping and chanting .
Protesters rode in bikes and skateboards , performing tricks before the rally organizers started chanting into a megaphone .
It was another in a series of protests and marches held around the Chicago area in response to the police killing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were taking place around the region Thursday evening , including another student-led march on the South Side .
The group also called for justice for victims of police violence and demanded the release of all protesters from jails .
There were also demands for a civilian police accountability council .
As hundreds headed west on Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street , Camille Garst , 23 , of Edison Park , kept an eye out for fellow marchers .
Garst said she has been involved in a march almost every day since Saturday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people going out by themselves but I ’ m encouraging people to stay together , ” she said .
“ I ’ m trying to take care of my friends.
” “ This is what you got ta do , ” she said .
“ Come out until they can commit to policy changes.
” —Jessica Villagomez Since Floyd ’ s death , the Minneapolis Board of Education has ended its contract with the local police department .
Pressure is mounting for school districts nationwide to follow suit , a movement that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demands of protesters this week , including many CPS students , is for the district to nullify the $ 33 million contract it entered with the Chicago Police Department in August for school resources officers in CPS buildings .
The only board member to vote against it was Elizabeth Todd-Breland , who cited research showing that having police in schools often contributes to the school-to prison pipeline , which disproportionately affects students of color .
“ The city of Chicago should be investing that money ... in our communities .
They should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mental health resources , '' said Garcia , 18 .
“ We don ’ t need more cops .
At the end of the day we are just being set up for the school-to-prison pipeline.
” The police department is currently reviewing its policies for school resources officers , who are assigned to 77 % of CPS-run high schools , according to the district .
The contract already includes several reforms to the way police are trained and involved with schools , a shift from reactive enforcement to proactive intervention .
Read more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Breezewald Park , a rally organized by high school and college students drew more than 300 people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest the death of George Floyd in police custody .
Students from Lake Zurich High School said they wanted to stand in solidarity with black victims of oppression such as Floyd , who died after a police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest in Minneapolis last week .
“ It ’ s just as important to educate white people they need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of black people , “ said co-organizer Zach Richards , 17 , who is just graduating from high school .
The parents of 15-year-old Dana Fleming wouldn ’ t let her attend a protest in Chicago , so she decided to organize her own event .
She said it ’ s important for people with white privilege to “ stand up for people of color.
“ Along with students and families , some older residents also show their support .
Octogenarians Beryl Ibbotson and Bill Ditman said they hoped the Minneapolis incident would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gone on for 400 years , ” said Ibbotson , who is originally from England but now lives in Hawthorne Woods .
“ I ’ m hoping this will be a wake-up call for everybody.
“ Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton said some residents were worried about the rally or questioned why it had to be there , but he reassured them it would be a peaceful .
The crowd stayed silent for about nine minutes in memory of the length of time a police officer knelt on George Floyd before he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peaceful march through downtown Lake Zurich .
Latino and black Chicagoans organized Wednesday on the Southwest Side to denounce reports of violence against black people in Latino neighborhoods after protests and looting followed George Floyd ’ s killing in Minneapolis .
Many joined peace marches and engaged in other collective actions throughout the city in an attempt to begin the dismantling of the anti-black narrative and avoid more violence between the two communities .
The social media reports fueled more fear and frustration in the black community , said Jai Simpson , who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organized by El Foro del Pueblo , a grassroots organization made up of volunteers to promote civic engagement .
Although he had doubts at first , Simpson , who is black , joined about 200 people at Wednesday ’ s march because he said he believes the wrongdoings come from a small group of Latinos who do not represent the community as a whole .
Read more here .
—Laura Rodríguez Presa The Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office said Thursday it is reviewing allegations that Chicago police pulled a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and placed a knee on her neck .
“ We are aware of the incident that occurred at Brickyard Mall and are currently conducting a thorough , independent review of the matter , including the conduct of the police officers involved , ” the office said .
“ We take law enforcement accountability seriously and have reached out to the family involved through their attorney.
” The investigation into the officers ’ conduct is being done in collaboration with the FBI , according to Cook County state ’ s attorney ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours after the attorney for the woman , Mia Wright , demanded a criminal investigation into the incident last Sunday .
Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt and David Jackson 4:24 p.m. : Grocery stores that closed during the George Floyd fallout start to reopen .
But food remains elusive in some neighborhoods .
Many grocery stores that shut their doors this week during the fallout from George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis started to open again Thursday with limited hours , hoping the unrest that damaged dozens of neighborhood businesses had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no word on when they might resume operations , raising concerns about food access in communities that already had limited options .
In South Shore , Local Market , which had been boarded up and closed since Sunday , opened with shortened hours Thursday after hearing from residents who said they needed the store to function because they didn ’ t have food , co-owner Eva Jakubowski said .
Parts of the neighborhood had been designated a food desert by the city before Local Market opened in December on a site that had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six years before .
Looters tried to break in Monday but the store ’ s security guards , with reinforcement from police , fended them off before they caused serious damage , Jakubowski said .
On Wednesday , close to 500 volunteers gathered to help clean up the store .
“ The way the community has stepped up to support their store is something I have never seen before , ” Jakubowski said .
“ So many people are depending on us because they really need us.
” Read more here .
—Alexia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor overseeing reforms to the Chicago Police Department to investigate and report on allegations that officers abused protesters who flooded the streets last weekend to decry police mistreatment of African Americans .
The groups also want the monitor , former federal prosecutor Maggie Hickey , to require the city to discourage officers from arresting protesters .
The letter to Hickey , who is overseeing a consent decree that mandates broad changes to the troubled police force , also complains of protesters being detained without contact with lawyers and asks her to establish a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clients .
In the letter sent Thursday , Sheila Bedi , a Northwestern University law professor who is among the attorneys for the groups , wrote : “ Clearly , the consent decree entirely failed to provide any meaningful protection to the people of Chicago against CPD violence during the recent protests.
” “ If the independent monitoring team fails to take decisive , urgent action at this moment , the consent decree will be a historic failure , ” the letter states .
Read more here .
—Dan Hinkel 3:56 p.m. : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , rejects calls to defund police : ‘ It would be irresponsible ’ Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined Thursday to comment on video from the Brickyard Mall where an officer kneeled on a woman , saying it ’ s an ongoing investigation , but promised that the police oversight agency investigating “ is doing everything it can to identify the officers , and then make an appropriate recommendation.
” “ I don ’ t want to get ahead and I ’ m not the head of ( the Civilian Oversight Police Authority ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ want COPA to be doing its job , but doing it independently , ” she said .
“ They have to call balls and strikes .
I mean , of course I have my own personal opinion about it , but I ’ m not going to share it , because I don ’ t want to influence what COPA ’ s work is , they ’ ve got to , they have the jurisdiction and the mandate , and more importantly they have my full support to do their job , independently.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ easy to identify officers in a “ grainy video ” but they are being investigated and once they ’ re identified they ’ ll be reported to Chicago police Superintendent David Brown .
“ The Cook County State ’ s Attorney ’ s Office is committed to public safety and pursuing the fair administration of justice for everyone in our communities .
We are aware of the incident that occurred at Brickyard Mall and are currently conducting a thorough , independent review of the matter , including the conduct of the police officers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously and have reached out to the family involved through their attorney , '' the statement said .
“ I don ’ t think that ’ s an appropriate action at this time .
I think that the people in our neighborhoods want and have been begging for more police support , ” she said .
“ In light of what ’ s happened over the last couple days , it would be irresponsible for me to even entertain any idea that we would cut back on our public safety resources at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for some civilian oversight of police but noted that there remain “ a final few issues ” her administration is stuck on with activists .
3:44 p.m. : More than 400 protesters — many of them students — march through Grayslake More than 400 protesters marched through the streets of Grayslake Thursday afternoon , decrying racism and police actions in the deaths of African Americans in several recent tragedies nationwide .
Chanting the names of George Floyd , Breonna Taylor , and Laquan McDonald , the crowd stretched about a half mile and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entrance to the College of Lake County .
Many of the protesters were students from local schools .
They many wore red shirts , carried signs reading , “ Black Lives Matter , “ and chanted , “ No justice , no peace , no racist police.
” “ I ’ m out here because I ’ m tired of seeing people who look like me getting killed across the country , “ said Jeremy Glende , 21 , of Gurnee .
Protesters were trying to broaden the focus , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Harper Fischer , a social studies teacher at Grayslake North High School , said she joined the crowd because , “ I feel I can ’ t look my students in the face and tell them they ’ re safe in America.
“ —Robert McCoppin 3:04 p.m. : Family seeks criminal investigation after they say Chicago cops pulled woman from car by hair and placed knee on her neck The family of a woman who says Chicago police pulled her from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
“ I didn ’ t do anything , ” Mia Wright , 25 , said at a news conference in the parking lot of Brickyard Mall , where she said the officers surrounded her car , broke the windows with clubs and pulled her to the ground on Sunday .
“ I was trying to get out with my hands up .
They continue to break the window , and before you know it I was being pulled out of the vehicle , pulled by my hair , ” Wright said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me .
I had my hair tied in a bun .
He grabbed me by the top of my bun and pulled me out of the vehicle .
And that is when they threw me on the ground , and he proceeded to put his knee in my neck.
” Read more here .
—Chicago Tribune staff Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city will not tolerate vigilantism after groups of mostly white men patrolled the streets of Bridgeport on Wednesday night in response to a nearby city protest .
Multiple streets were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as nearby protests dispersed .
Near West 39th Street , water hurled from an open fire hydrant as small groups gathered on corners .
Some of the men held bats .
One wore a shirt that said “ All Lives Matter , ” one sipped a beer and another waved at an officer as he drove by .
Additional groups of people , some armed with bats , lined West 31st Street .
Asked about the situation in Bridgeport , a diversifying neighborhood that served as an Irish-American power base for the Daley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is absolutely not appropriate for people to take up arms , bats , pipes , whatever in patrolling neighborhoods.
” “ We ’ ve seen that end with tragic results across the country and we ’ re not about to allow that practice to happen here in Chicago .
If there ’ s an issue , call 911 , ” Lightfoot said .
“ I absolutely support neighbors being vigilant as to what ’ s going on on the streets and in their blocks but taking up arms , that leads to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vigilantism in the city of Chicago under any circumstances.
” The letter to congressional leaders from Raoul and 17 other attorneys general asks for an expansion of the law enforcement misconduct section of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 , enacted three years after Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police officers .
“ Once again , our nation has been called to reckon with police brutality against black people in this country and the systemic failures that cause and allow this misconduct to perpetuate , ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public have no trust in the police , with tensions visible in the streets across this nation .
Urgent action is necessary at all levels of government to remedy the injustice of police misconduct.
” Read more here .
—Jamie Munks It ’ s been nearly 10 days since the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hand of a Minneapolis police officer , during which time massive protests against police violence have taken place across the country .
But while tens of thousands have taken to the streets to express @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has gripped the United States , the usually vocal Kanye West has been surprisingly quiet .
Today the rapper revealed via a representative that he has donated $ 2 million so far to charities associated with Ahmaud Arbery , Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and has set up a college fund to cover tuition for Floyd ’ s 6-year-old daughter Gianna .
In addition , the rapper has pledged to cover legal costs for the Arbery and Taylor families .
And in his hometown of Chicago , he ’ ll also be aiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more here .
—Variety 1:47 p.m. : Judge sets bail at $ 750,000 each for 3 former Minneapolis police officers accused of aiding and abetting in death of George Floyd A judge set bail at $ 750,000 apiece Thursday for three fired Minneapolis police officers who have been charged with aiding and abetting in the killing of George Floyd .
The Minneapolis Police Department fired them last week , along with Derek Chauvin , who is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd ’ s May 25 death .
Widely seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressing his knee into Floyd ’ s neck , ignoring the African American man ’ s pleas that he can ’ t breathe , until he stopped moving .
Read more here .
—Associated Press The availability of on-demand testing was a key component of moving from phase three of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s reopening plan , which began May 29 , to phase four , though officials later reframed it as a goal rather than a requirement .
The expansion of free testing to anyone , without the need to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctor ’ s order , comes as more businesses have opened and as thousands have taken to the streets in recent days to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer .
The state is encouraging anyone who has participated in mass gatherings to get tested .
Read more here .
—Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks 9:06 a.m. : Pastors call on Joliet mayor to resign following viral video of protest skirmish , cite previous disciplinary action from his work as a cop years ago Three local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ O ’ Dekirk ’ s resignation in the wake of a skirmish between the mayor , who is white , and an African American protester that was captured on a video that has gone viral as the Chicago area and nation reel from unrest over issues of racial injustice .
The video , which surfaced Tuesday , depicts a chaotic scene where police are dispersing a crowd of demonstrators who had gathered along Jefferson Street in Joliet in protest over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police .
O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer , appears to grab a protester by the collar and forcibly walk him backward to a police vehicle .
The two then fall to the ground when another man appears to jump on O ’ Dekirk from behind .
O ’ Dekirk said he would not resign or apologize , and has maintained that he was acting in self-defense .
Read more here .
—Angie Leventis Lourgos and Alicia Fabbre 8:08 a.m. : Witness who was in car says George Floyd didn ’ t resist arrest : ‘ I ’ m going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Floyd ’ s face ’ A longtime friend of George Floyd ’ s who was in the passenger seat of Floyd ’ s car during his fatal encounter with a Minneapolis police officer said Wednesday night that Floyd tried to defuse the tensions with police and in no way resisted arrest .
“ He was , from the beginning , trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way , ” said the friend , Maurice Lester Hall , 42 , who was tracked down Monday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interviewed by Minnesota state investigators .
“ I could hear him pleading , ‘ Please , officer , what ’ s all this for ?
’ ” Hall said in an interview Wednesday night with The New York Times .
Hall recounted the last moments with Floyd on Memorial Day , May 25 , after they had spent part of the day together .
Read more here .
—The New York Times 5:25 a.m. : Peeking out from behind plywood , nervous Chicago stores and restaurants weigh getting back into business When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen the city Wednesday , its leaders did not anticipate servers emerging with cold drinks and hot plates of food from behind boarded-up windows .
But that — along with nervous shoppers finding narrow entry corridors through back doors and between shattered glass — was the bittersweet mix of cautious optimism and painful reality that greeted the resumption of Chicago ’ s retail and dining operations from 75th Street to the Southport Corridor , as modified for a coronavirus-scarred reality that had collided with the fallout from the police killing of George Floyd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Chris Jones , Adam Lukach , Grace Wong , Nick Kindelsperger , Kasondra Van Treeck , Lauren Zumbach and Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz 5:20 a.m. : Police investigating alleged racial insult and physical altercation outside River Forest grocery store River Forest police are investigating after a woman posted a video on social media claiming a man made a racial insult and then scuffled with her .
The incident took place at about 10 a.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of a Jewel store at 7525 W. Lake St. in the western suburb , police said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says the man called her a “ black b -- -- ” , among other insults , while in line at a nearby coffee shop , and asks the man , “ Do you have anything to say for yourself now ?
” Read more here .
—Steve Schering 5:15 a.m. : Why Chicago Police Department reform moves slowly despite cries for immediate change After days of street protests urgently calling for changes in the way police treat African Americans , Mayor Lori Lightfoot lamented in a televised speech this week that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow.
” Indeed , it took decades to even get to the starting line of reforming the historically troubled Chicago Police Department .
The police union strongly pushed back , and politicians disagreed on the need for significant change .
Overhauling the nation ’ s second-largest police force is a task of daunting scope .
Now , a pandemic stands to slow reforms further .
While Lightfoot promised a handful of prompt adjustments , what she listed largely involved educational and support programs for officers , rather than policy changes to guide the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She also made a vague call for training efforts that appear similar to some already contained in the federal court order governing department operations .
Read more here .
—Dan Hinkel 5 a.m. : Family alleges brutal police restraint with knee on neck in Chicago arrest caught on video Tnika Tate said she was parking near a looted mall Sunday when Chicago police surrounded the vehicle , broke the windows and searched Tate and a group of four friends and relatives in the car with her .
Tate , 39 , said an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 , by placing a knee on Wright ’ s neck while she was prone on the ground .
Wright was charged with disorderly conduct and released Monday , according to police and the family .
A video of part of the incident was taken by family friend James Smith , 40 , who was driving in a second car .
A copy of the video was first published by the nonprofit digital news organization Block Club Chicago , and Smith provided the Tribune with a copy later Wednesday .
Read more here @ @ @

Police officers guarding the Trump International Hotel & Tower hold back protesters in the Loop on May 30, 2020, during a rally and march to remember the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
For the latest updates, check out Friday’s live blog here.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined Thursday to comment on video from the Brickyard Mall where an officer knelt on a woman, saying it’s an ongoing investigation, but promised that the police oversight agency investigating “is doing everything it can to identify the officers and then make an appropriate recommendation.”
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Meanwhile, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s office said that it was conducting its own review of the incident in collaboration with the FBI. Hours earlier, the attorney for the woman, Mia Wright, demanded a criminal investigation.
Also on Thursday, Lightfoot said the city will not tolerate vigilantism after groups of mostly white men patrolled the streets of Bridgeport on Wednesday night in response to a nearby city protest. The situation in Bridgeport frightened and angered many residents and activists who expressed concerns about racism and violence.
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Additionally, state health officials are urging anyone who participated in mass gatherings following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis to be tested for COVID-19, and said tests are now available to everyone regardless of symptoms at 11 state-run sites.
[ Tribune photographers capture the protests and unrest in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd ]
[ Column: I tried to ignore the killings of Black men because it hurt too much. Then came the personal reckoning. ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here are the latest developments:
8:50 p.m. (updated): Kanye West appears to join march on South Side
It appeared that Kanye West showed up shortly before 8 p.m. to join marchers as they prepared to head down South State Street.
The South Side rapper, with his face mostly covered, emerged after a series of speeches from students and activists. He did not address the crowd and appeared to have left a half hour later as marchers continued north on State.
It appears Kayne West has joined a march after speakers called for CPS to cancel its contract with CPD in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/55JlTkmTG9 — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) June 5, 2020
The Tribune asked organizers for confirmation of West’s appearance, but they just pointed to the surrounding security.
According to CNN, West has made a $2 million donation to support the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor
As the sun set, marchers cheered: “CPD, KKK, how many kids did you kill today?” —Morgan Greene
8:21 p.m.: Large crowds turn out at suburban events to decry racism in aftermath of George Floyd’s death
More than 400 protesters marched through the streets of Grayslake on Thursday afternoon, decrying racism and police actions in the deaths of African Americans in several recent tragedies across the country.
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Chanting the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Laquan McDonald, the crowd stretched about a half-mile and shut down Illinois Route 83 and the entrance to the College of Lake County.
The march was one of many similar events held throughout the suburbs this week that have drawn large crowds.
Many of the protesters in Grayslake were students from local schools. The protesters, some of whom wore red shirts, carried signs reading, “Black Lives Matter“ and chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police.”
“I’m out here because I’m tired of seeing people who look like me getting killed across the country,“ said Jeremy Glende, 21, of Gurnee.
Protesters were trying to broaden the focus, he said, from just one incident to many. Read more here. —Robert McCoppin
8:07 p.m.: Young people rally for counselors instead of cops
A crowd of a few hundred people, skewing young, showed up Thursday evening under a clear sky outside the closed Zenos Colman Elementary School on the South Side to call for the removal of Chicago police from Chicago Public Schools.
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Protesters held signs with messages like “Counselors Not Cops” and “No more CPD in CPS.” Organizers walked around with hand sanitizer and water bottles. The crowd cheered “Books not cops” as students shared stories about the possibilities of what the cost of the police contract could instead fund.
Michelle Yisrael, a nearby resident, said she came to the gathering because most of the men in her life, including her adult sons, have had problems with police. “And also I am an educator, and I never thought it was OK for the Chicago Police Department to be in the high schools. That’s never been OK with me.
“I think it’s important for us to think about the fact that black people did not choose to be here,” she said. “We built this place. It’s just time for things to change. I would like to see my grandchildren and my great grandchildren have a different experience.”
Yisrael said she “will march as many days as my feet will carry me.”
Shelia Hamlin, 53, of Englewood, said she came to the event for her nieces and nephews.
“I just want to get out here and show my support for the young people and let them know it needs to stop,” she said. —Morgan Greene
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7:42 p.m.: Hundreds gather near Lincoln Park High School echoing call to defund police
Crowds of hundreds of young people and other Chicagoans gathered at Oz Park near Lincoln Park High School Thursday evening to rally and demand that the city defund the police.
Many gathered on the peak of a nearby hill holding signs, clapping and chanting. Protesters rode in bikes and skateboards, performing tricks before the rally organizers started chanting into a megaphone.
Growing group here near Oz Park, composed predominantly young people. Many are on bikes or skateboards. pic.twitter.com/f0hEEiGRiH — Jessica Villagomez is FURLOUGHED (@JessicaVillag) June 4, 2020
It was another in a series of protests and marches held around the Chicago area in response to the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Several more were taking place around the region Thursday evening, including another student-led march on the South Side.
On the North Side, as protesters clapped and cheered, more than 20 police officers stood at the park’s perimeter.
The group also called for justice for victims of police violence and demanded the release of all protesters from jails. There were also demands for a civilian police accountability council.
According to the city’s budget overview, almost $1.8 billion was budgeted for CPD in 2020.
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As hundreds headed west on Chicago Avenue and Halsted Street, Camille Garst, 23, of Edison Park, kept an eye out for fellow marchers. Garst said she has been involved in a march almost every day since Saturday.
“I know there a lot of people going out by themselves but I’m encouraging people to stay together,” she said. “I’m trying to take care of my friends.”
Garst added she’d continue to march until change is made.
“This is what you gotta do,” she said. “Come out until they can commit to policy changes.” —Jessica Villagomez
Huge crowd heading West on Chicago Ave now. pic.twitter.com/r2C29uo9xZ — Jessica Villagomez is FURLOUGHED (@JessicaVillag) June 4, 2020
7:25 p.m.: Police killing of George Floyd amplifies calls to remove school resource officers from CPS
Outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis is fueling a local push to get police officers out of Chicago Public Schools.
Since Floyd’s death, the Minneapolis Board of Education has ended its contract with the local police department. Pressure is mounting for school districts nationwide to follow suit, a movement that was already underway in Chicago.
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Among the demands of protesters this week, including many CPS students, is for the district to nullify the $33 million contract it entered with the Chicago Police Department in August for school resources officers in CPS buildings.
The only board member to vote against it was Elizabeth Todd-Breland, who cited research showing that having police in schools often contributes to the school-to prison pipeline, which disproportionately affects students of color.
High school senior Diego Garcia, who lives in Brighton Park, cited the same concern when he spoke out against school resource officers.
“The city of Chicago should be investing that money ... in our communities. They should be investing that money in after-school programs and mental health resources," said Garcia, 18. “We don’t need more cops. At the end of the day we are just being set up for the school-to-prison pipeline.”
The police department is currently reviewing its policies for school resources officers, who are assigned to 77% of CPS-run high schools, according to the district. The contract already includes several reforms to the way police are trained and involved with schools, a shift from reactive enforcement to proactive intervention. Read more here. —Hannah Leone
7:24 p.m.: Lake Zurich rally organized by students draws hundreds
In Lake Zurich’s Breezewald Park, a rally organized by high school and college students drew more than 300 people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest the death of George Floyd in police custody.
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Students from Lake Zurich High School said they wanted to stand in solidarity with black victims of oppression such as Floyd, who died after a police officer knelt on his neck during an arrest in Minneapolis last week.
They emphasized they wanted a peaceful protest in contrast to the rioting and looting that occurred following protests elsewhere.
“It’s just as important to educate white people they need to use their voices to stand against oppression of black people,“ said co-organizer Zach Richards, 17, who is just graduating from high school.
The parents of 15-year-old Dana Fleming wouldn’t let her attend a protest in Chicago, so she decided to organize her own event. She said it’s important for people with white privilege to “stand up for people of color.“
Isabelle Jordan, 19, said her research showed there was a Ku Klux Klan rally in the area in 1921, suggesting a racist history to the predominantly white area.
Along with students and families, some older residents also show their support. Octogenarians Beryl Ibbotson and Bill Ditman said they hoped the Minneapolis incident would bring about change.
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Ibbotson called Floyd’s death “outrageous and disgusting."
“This has gone on for 400 years,” said Ibbotson, who is originally from England but now lives in Hawthorne Woods. “I’m hoping this will be a wake-up call for everybody.“
Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton said some residents were worried about the rally or questioned why it had to be there, but he reassured them it would be a peaceful.
“We need to do better,“ he told the crowd. “We need to be committed to change.“
And Waukegan parks commissioner Marc Jones called on those attending to be not just non-racist, but anti-racist, actively working to end discrimination.
The crowd stayed silent for about nine minutes in memory of the length of time a police officer knelt on George Floyd before he was pronounced dead. They then made a peaceful march through downtown Lake Zurich.
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As the protesters marched through town, their chants of “black lives matter” could be heard across the lake.
Other demonstrations were scheduled Thursday for the Lake County communities of Waukegan, Zion and Buffalo Grove. —Robert McCoppin
7:06 p.m.: Black and Latino Chicagoans unite to condemn anti-blackness. ‘Don’t let them divide us.’
Latino and black Chicagoans organized Wednesday on the Southwest Side to denounce reports of violence against black people in Latino neighborhoods after protests and looting followed George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis.
Many joined peace marches and engaged in other collective actions throughout the city in an attempt to begin the dismantling of the anti-black narrative and avoid more violence between the two communities.
Racial tension intensified after social media posts showed alleged Latino gang members in Little Village and Cicero attacking black passersby in those neighborhoods.
The social media reports fueled more fear and frustration in the black community, said Jai Simpson, who participated in a Little Village unity march organized by El Foro del Pueblo, a grassroots organization made up of volunteers to promote civic engagement.
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Although he had doubts at first, Simpson, who is black, joined about 200 people at Wednesday’s march because he said he believes the wrongdoings come from a small group of Latinos who do not represent the community as a whole. Read more here. —Laura Rodríguez Presa
A crowd chants “Black Lives Matter,” by the Little Village arch. Black and Latino Chicagoans unite to condemn anti-blackness: https://t.co/f7xUX7uKw3 pic.twitter.com/2NVI6B3Dkk — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 4, 2020
More faces of the peace march in Little Village. The actions in solidarity with the Black community will continue through the weekend, in efforts to ease racial tension upheave after reported violence against Blacks in Latino neighborhoods: https://t.co/f7xUX7uKw3 pic.twitter.com/4iR3dvKQQL — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 4, 2020
6:32 p.m.: Cook County state’s attorney’s office says it will review Brickyard Mall arrest
The Cook County state’s attorney’s office said Thursday it is reviewing allegations that Chicago police pulled a woman from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck.
“We are aware of the incident that occurred at Brickyard Mall and are currently conducting a thorough, independent review of the matter, including the conduct of the police officers involved,” the office said. “We take law enforcement accountability seriously and have reached out to the family involved through their attorney.”
The investigation into the officers’ conduct is being done in collaboration with the FBI, according to Cook County state’s attorney’s office spokeswoman Aviva Bowen.
The statement came hours after the attorney for the woman, Mia Wright, demanded a criminal investigation into the incident last Sunday. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt and David Jackson
4:24 p.m.: Grocery stores that closed during the George Floyd fallout start to reopen. But food remains elusive in some neighborhoods.
Many grocery stores that shut their doors this week during the fallout from George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis started to open again Thursday with limited hours, hoping the unrest that damaged dozens of neighborhood businesses had quieted.
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But some remain closed with no word on when they might resume operations, raising concerns about food access in communities that already had limited options.
In South Shore, Local Market, which had been boarded up and closed since Sunday, opened with shortened hours Thursday after hearing from residents who said they needed the store to function because they didn’t have food, co-owner Eva Jakubowski said.
Parts of the neighborhood had been designated a food desert by the city before Local Market opened in December on a site that had been vacant since Dominick’s closed six years before.
Looters tried to break in Monday but the store’s security guards, with reinforcement from police , fended them off before they caused serious damage, Jakubowski said. On Wednesday, close to 500 volunteers gathered to help clean up the store.
“The way the community has stepped up to support their store is something I have never seen before,” Jakubowski said. “So many people are depending on us because they really need us.” Read more here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
4:03 p.m.: Activists call for investigation into how Chicago police handled George Floyd protests
Activist groups have asked the court-appointed monitor overseeing reforms to the Chicago Police Department to investigate and report on allegations that officers abused protesters who flooded the streets last weekend to decry police mistreatment of African Americans.
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The groups also want the monitor, former federal prosecutor Maggie Hickey, to require the city to discourage officers from arresting protesters. The letter to Hickey, who is overseeing a consent decree that mandates broad changes to the troubled police force, also complains of protesters being detained without contact with lawyers and asks her to establish a process for attorneys to communicate with arrested clients.
In the letter sent Thursday, Sheila Bedi, a Northwestern University law professor who is among the attorneys for the groups, wrote: “Clearly, the consent decree entirely failed to provide any meaningful protection to the people of Chicago against CPD violence during the recent protests.”
“If the independent monitoring team fails to take decisive, urgent action at this moment, the consent decree will be a historic failure,” the letter states. Read more here. —Dan Hinkel
3:56 p.m.: Lightfoot says Brickyard incident is under investigation, rejects calls to defund police: ‘It would be irresponsible’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot declined Thursday to comment on video from the Brickyard Mall where an officer kneeled on a woman, saying it’s an ongoing investigation, but promised that the police oversight agency investigating “is doing everything it can to identify the officers, and then make an appropriate recommendation.”
“I don’t want to get ahead and I’m not the head of (the Civilian Oversight Police Authority). I’m the mayor and I want COPA to be doing its job, but doing it independently,” she said. “They have to call balls and strikes. I mean, of course I have my own personal opinion about it, but I’m not going to share it, because I don’t want to influence what COPA’s work is, they’ve got to, they have the jurisdiction and the mandate, and more importantly they have my full support to do their job, independently.“
Lightfoot said it isn’t easy to identify officers in a “grainy video” but they are being investigated and once they’re identified they’ll be reported to Chicago police Superintendent David Brown.
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Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx released a statement Thursday afternoon saying that her office was conducting its own review of the incident.
“The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to public safety and pursuing the fair administration of justice for everyone in our communities. We are aware of the incident that occurred at Brickyard Mall and are currently conducting a thorough, independent review of the matter, including the conduct of the police officers involved. We take law enforcement accountability seriously and have reached out to the family involved through their attorney," the statement said.
The mayor, meanwhile, rejected calls from some progressive aldermen such as Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez, 33rd, to defund the police department.
“I don’t think that’s an appropriate action at this time. I think that the people in our neighborhoods want and have been begging for more police support,” she said. “In light of what’s happened over the last couple days, it would be irresponsible for me to even entertain any idea that we would cut back on our public safety resources at this time.“
Lightfoot again reiterated her support for some civilian oversight of police but noted that there remain “a final few issues” her administration is stuck on with activists.
“It’s my hope that we’ll be able to break the logjam and move forward,” she said. —Gregory Pratt
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3:44 p.m.: More than 400 protesters — many of them students — march through Grayslake
More than 400 protesters marched through the streets of Grayslake Thursday afternoon, decrying racism and police actions in the deaths of African Americans in several recent tragedies nationwide.
Chanting the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Laquan McDonald, the crowd stretched about a half mile and shut down Illinois Route 83 and the entrance to the College of Lake County.
Many of the protesters were students from local schools. They many wore red shirts, carried signs reading, “Black Lives Matter,“ and chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police.”
“I’m out here because I’m tired of seeing people who look like me getting killed across the country,“ said Jeremy Glende, 21, of Gurnee.
Protesters were trying to broaden the focus, he said, from just one incident to many.
Harper Fischer, a social studies teacher at Grayslake North High School, said she joined the crowd because, “I feel I can’t look my students in the face and tell them they’re safe in America.“ —Robert McCoppin
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3:04 p.m.: Family seeks criminal investigation after they say Chicago cops pulled woman from car by hair and placed knee on her neck
The family of a woman who says Chicago police pulled her from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck demanded a criminal investigation into the officers Thursday.
“I didn’t do anything,” Mia Wright, 25, said at a news conference in the parking lot of Brickyard Mall, where she said the officers surrounded her car, broke the windows with clubs and pulled her to the ground on Sunday.
“I was trying to get out with my hands up. They continue to break the window, and before you know it I was being pulled out of the vehicle, pulled by my hair,” Wright said, crying. “The officer grabbed me. I had my hair tied in a bun. He grabbed me by the top of my bun and pulled me out of the vehicle. And that is when they threw me on the ground, and he proceeded to put his knee in my neck.” Read more here. —Chicago Tribune staff
2:50 p.m.: Mayor Lori Lightfoot denounces vigilantism in Chicago after white men patrol Bridgeport streets with bats
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the city will not tolerate vigilantism after groups of mostly white men patrolled the streets of Bridgeport on Wednesday night in response to a nearby city protest.
Multiple streets were blocked in the Bridgeport neighborhood Wednesday night as nearby protests dispersed. Near West 39th Street, water hurled from an open fire hydrant as small groups gathered on corners. Some of the men held bats. One wore a shirt that said “All Lives Matter,” one sipped a beer and another waved at an officer as he drove by. Additional groups of people, some armed with bats, lined West 31st Street.
Asked about the situation in Bridgeport, a diversifying neighborhood that served as an Irish-American power base for the Daley political family, Lightfoot said, “It is absolutely not appropriate for people to take up arms, bats, pipes, whatever in patrolling neighborhoods.”
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“We’ve seen that end with tragic results across the country and we’re not about to allow that practice to happen here in Chicago. If there’s an issue, call 911,” Lightfoot said. “I absolutely support neighbors being vigilant as to what’s going on on the streets and in their blocks but taking up arms, that leads to chaos and we’re not supporting vigilantism in the city of Chicago under any circumstances.”
The situation in Bridgeport frightened and angered many residents and activists who expressed concerns about racism and violence. — Gregory Pratt and Morgan Greene
2:47 p.m.: Illinois AG Kwame Raoul among attorneys general asking Congress for broader authority to investigate policing
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined a coalition of state legal officers in urging Congress to give them broader authority to investigate “unconstitutional policing,” his office said Thursday.
The letter to congressional leaders from Raoul and 17 other attorneys general asks for an expansion of the law enforcement misconduct section of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, enacted three years after Rodney King was beaten by Los Angeles police officers.
“Once again, our nation has been called to reckon with police brutality against black people in this country and the systemic failures that cause and allow this misconduct to perpetuate,” the letter states. “Many members of the public have no trust in the police, with tensions visible in the streets across this nation. Urgent action is necessary at all levels of government to remedy the injustice of police misconduct.” Read more here. —Jamie Munks
2:11 p.m.: Kanye West launches college fund for George Floyd’s daughter, reveals $2 million in additional donations
It’s been nearly 10 days since the May 25 death of George Floyd at the hand of a Minneapolis police officer, during which time massive protests against police violence have taken place across the country. But while tens of thousands have taken to the streets to express their anger at the systemic racism that has gripped the United States, the usually vocal Kanye West has been surprisingly quiet.
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Today the rapper revealed via a representative that he has donated $2 million so far to charities associated with Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd and has set up a college fund to cover tuition for Floyd’s 6-year-old daughter Gianna. In addition, the rapper has pledged to cover legal costs for the Arbery and Taylor families. And in his hometown of Chicago, he’ll also be aiding black-owned businesses with financial contributions. Read more here. —Variety
1:47 p.m.: Judge sets bail at $750,000 each for 3 former Minneapolis police officers accused of aiding and abetting in death of George Floyd
A judge set bail at $750,000 apiece Thursday for three fired Minneapolis police officers who have been charged with aiding and abetting in the killing of George Floyd.
Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng were making their first appearances in Hennepin County District Court since their arrests Wednesday.
The Minneapolis Police Department fired them last week, along with Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25 death. Widely seen bystander video shows the white police officer pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck, ignoring the African American man’s pleas that he can’t breathe, until he stopped moving. Read more here. —Associated Press
1:34 p.m.: Even with much of downtown reopened, some bridges still up
Even as much of downtown has been reopened and transit service has resumed, several city bridges downtown and on the South Side remained closed Thursday afternoon, according to the city.
Bridges at Michigan and Wabash avenues, as well as State, Van Buren, Jackson, Adams and Franklin streets and at 92nd Street remained closed, according to the city. —Chicago Tribune staff
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Notify Chicago: Bridges remain closed at Van Buren, Jackson, Adams, Monroe, Michigan, Wabash, State, Franklin and 92nd Street. Seek alternate routes. — Chicago OEMC (@ChicagoOEMC) June 4, 2020
12:10 p.m.: Illinois expands COVID-19 testing to all and urges those who participated in protests to get tested
Testing for the new coronavirus is now available in Illinois to anyone who wants it — regardless of symptoms — at nearly a dozen state-run testing sites, state public health officials said Thursday.
The availability of on-demand testing was a key component of moving from phase three of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s reopening plan, which began May 29, to phase four, though officials later reframed it as a goal rather than a requirement.
The expansion of free testing to anyone, without the need to display symptoms or have a referral or doctor’s order, comes as more businesses have opened and as thousands have taken to the streets in recent days to protest the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer.
The state is encouraging anyone who has participated in mass gatherings to get tested. Read more here. —Dan Petrella and Jamie Munks
9:06 a.m.: Pastors call on Joliet mayor to resign following viral video of protest skirmish, cite previous disciplinary action from his work as a cop years ago
Three local pastors have called for Joliet Mayor Robert O’Dekirk’s resignation in the wake of a skirmish between the mayor, who is white, and an African American protester that was captured on a video that has gone viral as the Chicago area and nation reel from unrest over issues of racial injustice.
The video, which surfaced Tuesday, depicts a chaotic scene where police are dispersing a crowd of demonstrators who had gathered along Jefferson Street in Joliet in protest over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
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O’Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer, appears to grab a protester by the collar and forcibly walk him backward to a police vehicle. The two then fall to the ground when another man appears to jump on O’Dekirk from behind.
O’Dekirk said he would not resign or apologize, and has maintained that he was acting in self-defense. Read more here. —Angie Leventis Lourgos and Alicia Fabbre
8:08 a.m.: Witness who was in car says George Floyd didn’t resist arrest: ‘I’m going to always remember seeing the fear in Floyd’s face’
A longtime friend of George Floyd’s who was in the passenger seat of Floyd’s car during his fatal encounter with a Minneapolis police officer said Wednesday night that Floyd tried to defuse the tensions with police and in no way resisted arrest.
“He was, from the beginning, trying in his humblest form to show he was not resisting in no form or way,” said the friend, Maurice Lester Hall, 42, who was tracked down Monday in Houston, arrested on outstanding warrants and interviewed by Minnesota state investigators.
“I could hear him pleading, ‘Please, officer, what’s all this for?’ ” Hall said in an interview Wednesday night with The New York Times.
Hall recounted the last moments with Floyd on Memorial Day, May 25, after they had spent part of the day together. Read more here. —The New York Times
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5:25 a.m.: Peeking out from behind plywood, nervous Chicago stores and restaurants weigh getting back into business
When Chicago announced last week its intention to reopen the city Wednesday, its leaders did not anticipate servers emerging with cold drinks and hot plates of food from behind boarded-up windows.
But that — along with nervous shoppers finding narrow entry corridors through back doors and between shattered glass — was the bittersweet mix of cautious optimism and painful reality that greeted the resumption of Chicago’s retail and dining operations from 75th Street to the Southport Corridor, as modified for a coronavirus-scarred reality that had collided with the fallout from the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Read more here. —Chris Jones, Adam Lukach, Grace Wong, Nick Kindelsperger, Kasondra Van Treeck, Lauren Zumbach and Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
5:20 a.m.: Police investigating alleged racial insult and physical altercation outside River Forest grocery store
River Forest police are investigating after a woman posted a video on social media claiming a man made a racial insult and then scuffled with her.
The incident took place at about 10 a.m. Wednesday in the parking lot of a Jewel store at 7525 W. Lake St. in the western suburb, police said.
In the video, the woman says the man called her a “black b----”, among other insults, while in line at a nearby coffee shop, and asks the man, “Do you have anything to say for yourself now?” Read more here. —Steve Schering
5:15 a.m.: Why Chicago Police Department reform moves slowly despite cries for immediate change
After days of street protests urgently calling for changes in the way police treat African Americans, Mayor Lori Lightfoot lamented in a televised speech this week that “the process of reform has been too slow.”
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Indeed, it took decades to even get to the starting line of reforming the historically troubled Chicago Police Department. The police union strongly pushed back, and politicians disagreed on the need for significant change. Overhauling the nation’s second-largest police force is a task of daunting scope. Now, a pandemic stands to slow reforms further.
While Lightfoot promised a handful of prompt adjustments, what she listed largely involved educational and support programs for officers, rather than policy changes to guide the police conduct that has driven protests. She also made a vague call for training efforts that appear similar to some already contained in the federal court order governing department operations. Read more here. —Dan Hinkel
5 a.m.: Family alleges brutal police restraint with knee on neck in Chicago arrest caught on video
Tnika Tate said she was parking near a looted mall Sunday when Chicago police surrounded the vehicle, broke the windows and searched Tate and a group of four friends and relatives in the car with her.
Tate, 39, said an officer restrained her cousin Mia Wright, 25, by placing a knee on Wright’s neck while she was prone on the ground. Wright was charged with disorderly conduct and released Monday, according to police and the family.
A video of part of the incident was taken by family friend James Smith, 40, who was driving in a second car. A copy of the video was first published by the nonprofit digital news organization Block Club Chicago, and Smith provided the Tribune with a copy later Wednesday. Read more here. —David Jackson


chicagotribune--2020-06-05--‘The state needs to be all over this’: New federal data shows how COVID-19 is ripping through unders

‘The state needs to be all over this’: New federal data shows how COVID-19 is ripping through understaffed Illinois nursing homes

The federal data — posted online by CMS — is different from the numbers Illinois regulators have been releasing weekly @ @ @ @ @ and death numbers for each long-term care facility and combines figures for residents and workers @ @ @ @ @ , the death tally had topped 2,700 in the facilities , which range from traditional @ @ @ @ @ and state-run centers .

Newly released federal data shows that COVID-19 has likely infected more than 7,000 nursing home workers in Illinois, with a fourth of homes complaining they are short-staffed and scores saying they’re low on protective gear.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data, released Thursday, shows that nearly 70 Illinois facilities have reported 10 or more deaths of residents from a virus that’s decimated long-term care facilities across the country.
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The data, despite some reporting errors, offers a powerful new picture of how the virus has torn through homes’ residents and staff, with one advocacy group, AARP Illinois, saying it confirms the long-held fears of advocates and families that the country was unprepared.
“The people who are the most vulnerable, whether in nursing homes or people working there, were not protected,” said Illinois AARP’s state director, Bob Gallo.
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Industry officials have previously said they’ve done the best they can under unprecedented circumstances. They welcomed the more robust federal data as another level of transparency they said they’ve encouraged for months.
“We view this new, more-detailed dataset as a valuable resource to help nursing homes and our public health partners make informed decisions and implement strategies that could save lives,” Pat Comstock of the Health Care Council of Illinois said in a statement.
“Frankly, it’s a shame this data wasn’t available weeks or months ago when nursing homes were begging for help,” she said.
The federal data — posted online by CMS — is different from the numbers Illinois regulators have been releasing weekly, which shows cumulative case and death numbers for each long-term care facility and combines figures for residents and workers. As of Friday, the death tally had topped 3,000 in the facilities, which range from traditional nursing homes to assisted-living facilities and state-run centers.
The federal data doesn’t cover as many facilities, just those receiving federal money. And at least a tenth of those homes haven’t reported data, so far. But for those facilities reporting, the federal data offers a much deeper assessment of the pandemic’s toll.
While Illinois officials have struggled to compile such figures, CMS regulators went directly to facilities to collect the information. They also went a step further to assess staffing and equipment needs — something advocates had been asking for.
Staffing has long been a controversial subject, with the industry in general struggling to fill low-wage jobs. Illinois facilities often have flouted a 2010 state law requiring minimum staffing levels.
Of Illinois facilities reporting to CMS, 23% said they were short on nursing staff and 27% said they were short on aides.
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Another touchy subject has been protective gear. The administration of Illinois Gov J.B. Pritzker has long said the state has provided enough gear to local officials to pass out to facilities and, later, sent direct shipments to some homes. But the industry complained of uneven distribution, and the CMS data illustrates the gaps.
Out of 573 facilities in Illinois reporting data, 25 said they were completely out of N95 masks, the type that best blocks the virus’s spread. Another 42 said they had less than a week’s supply.
There also was less than a week’s supply of surgical masks for 46 facilities, of eye protection for 30 facilities, of gowns for 92, of gloves for 32 and of hand sanitizer for 25, according to the data.
The AARP’s Gallo has been among many advocates, industry representatives and family members calling for government regulators to develop a deeper understanding of problems in long-term care facilities so they can be better addressed.
Gallo said the state Department of Public Health — which regulates nursing homes — should use the federal data to ensure residents and workers across the state are protected, particularly as health experts sound the alarm over a potential second wave of COVID-19 coming this fall.
“The state needs to be all over this,” he said. “We can’t wait any longer. They’ve got to get their arms around this.”
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IDPH did not immediately respond to questions Thursday, including whether and how it would use the data. The agency has previously said it’s taken aggressive steps to fight the virus in nursing homes but lacked the resources to compile the type of data federal officials have collected.
CMS said it expects to update the data in two weeks, then every week thereafter. The agency, for now, cautions that the initial release is the product of a rushed process and may have errors.
Indeed, the Tribune found a Niles facility for which the CMS data shows 158 COVID-19 deaths but only 20 cases — a mathematical impossibility. The facility told the Tribune it had only 10 deaths and attributed the error to a misunderstanding on how to report figures.
Another facility, in North Aurora, had 13 reported deaths of employees from COVID-19, but its administrator told the Tribune that although 13 workers had tested positive, none had died.
A CMS spokeswoman, while not addressing specific errors, said in general that the agency has a process that tries to catch mistakes but the goal was to get the data out as quickly as possible to help inform discussion. She said the agency expects fewer errors as facilities get used to the reporting process and the agency gets more time to vet data.
jmahr@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-05--Large crowds turn out at suburban events to decry racism in aftermath of George Floyd’s death

The crowd marched from downtown Grayslake to the College of Lake County , where they occupied the intersection at the @ @ @ @ @ minutes and 46 seconds of silence in recognition of the time that a Minneapolis police @ @ @ @ @ s neck , leading to his death .

More than 400 protesters marched through the streets of Grayslake on Thursday afternoon, decrying racism and police actions in the deaths of African Americans in several recent tragedies across the country.
Chanting the names of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Laquan McDonald, the crowd stretched about a half-mile and shut down Illinois Route 83 and the entrance to the College of Lake County.
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The march was one of many similar events held throughout the suburbs this week that have drawn large crowds.
Many of the protesters in Grayslake were students from local schools. The protesters, some of whom wore red shirts, carried signs reading, “Black Lives Matter“ and chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police.”
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“I’m out here because I’m tired of seeing people who look like me getting killed across the country,“ said Jeremy Glende, 21, of Gurnee.
Protesters were trying to broaden the focus, he said, from just one incident to many.
Sitting in the middle of Washington Street in Grayslake, Lucinda Smetana, of Grayslake, leads eight minutes of silence in memory of George Floyd on June 4, 2020. Hundreds of protesters marched through downtown Grayslake, then headed north to hold a sit-in on Washington Street at the entrance to the College of Lake County. (Rob Dicker / Chicago Tribune)
Harper Fischer, a social studies teacher at Grayslake North High School, said she joined the crowd because, “I feel I can’t look my students in the face and tell them they’re safe in America.“
Members of Minority Rule, a book club at the school, helped to organize the peaceful event.
This school year, Fischer said, the school started an African American social club called the Black Union, which is open to all students.
The crowd marched from downtown Grayslake to the College of Lake County, where they occupied the intersection at the entrance, and observed eight minutes and 46 seconds of silence in recognition of the time that a Minneapolis police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck, leading to his death.
The demonstrators drew honks and yells of support from many drivers.
Lainey Hutchcraft, 27, of Lake Villa, said her great-grandfather and grandmother were Chicago police officers, and her cousins married African Americans. But when one officer is guilty of misconduct, and the others keep silent, she said, all those involved become “bad cops”
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She brought her 1-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, she said, to show them how people can unite for a just cause.
Protesters head east on Center Street toward Illinois Route 83 in Grayslake on June 4, 2020. (Rob Dicker / Chicago Tribune)
Speakers at the protest made a point of thanking the police for blocking traffic for them.
“The cops back there, we love you too,” said Noah Polk, 20, of Grayslake. “They could take care of us the whole way.”
Grayslake police Chief Phil Perlini said the event was peaceful, though a couple of people needed medical attention due to the heat.
“Everybody was respectful and peaceful, and so were we,“ he said.
While it was hard to hear some of the comments, he said, “Their points do not go unheard.“
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In Lake Zurich’s Breezewald Park, a rally organized by high school and college students drew more than 300 people in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and to protest Floyd’s death.
Students from Lake Zurich High School said they wanted to stand in solidarity with black victims of oppression such as Floyd.
They emphasized they wanted a peaceful protest in contrast to the rioting and looting that occurred following protests elsewhere.
“It’s just as important to educate white people they need to use their voices to stand against oppression of black people,“ said co-organizer Zach Richards, 17, who is just graduating from high school.
The parents of 15-year-old Dana Fleming wouldn’t let her attend a protest in Chicago, so she decided to organize her own event. She said it’s important for people with white privilege to “stand up for people of color.“
Isabelle Jordan, 19, said her research showed there was a Ku Klux Klan rally in the area in 1921, suggesting a racist history in the predominantly white area.
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Along with students and families, some older residents also showed their support. Octogenarians Beryl Ibbotson and Bill Ditman said they hoped the Minneapolis incident would bring about change.
Ibbotson called Floyd’s death “outrageous and disgusting."
“This has gone on for 400 years,” said Ibbotson, who is originally from England but now lives in Hawthorn Woods. “I’m hoping this will be a wake-up call for everybody.“
Lake Zurich Mayor Tom Poynton said some residents were worried about the rally or questioned why it had to be there, but he reassured them it would be a peaceful.
Activists hold a sit-in June 4, 2020, in Grayslake. (Rob Dicker / Chicago Tribune)
Hundreds of protesters marched through downtown Grayslake on June 4, 2020. (Rob Dicker / Chicago Tribune)
“We need to do better,“ he told the crowd. “We need to be committed to change.“
And Waukegan parks Commissioner Marc Jones called on those attending to be not just non-racist, but anti-racist, actively working to end discrimination.
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The protesters later made a peaceful march through downtown Lake Zurich. Their chants of “black lives matter” could be heard across the lake.


chicagotribune--2020-06-05--Police killing of George Floyd amplifies calls to remove school resource officers from Chicago publi

Police killing of George Floyd amplifies calls to remove school resource officers from Chicago public schools: ‘We don’t need more cops.’

But Drake Booker , who was president of Bogan High School ’ s LSC for four years until last spring @ @ @ @ @ build rapport with students and are equipped to handle situations like fights in ways teachers @ @ @ @ @ a student indicated feeling less safe with an officer in a school , he would @ @ @ @ @ comment into consideration .
Maybe a particular officer isn ’ t a good fit for @ @ @ @ @ presence can safeguard students , Booker said .

Protesters dance and play music outside Chicago Board of Education President Miguel del Valle's home as a virtual school board meeting takes place on June 24, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Outrage over the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis is fueling a local push to get police officers out of Chicago Public Schools buildings.
Since Floyd’s death, the Minneapolis Board of Education has ended its contract with the local police department. Pressure is mounting for school districts nationwide to follow suit, a movement that was already underway in Chicago.
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Among the demands heard at protests this week, particularly among CPS students, is for the district to nullify the $33 million contract it entered into with the Chicago Police Department in August for school resource officers in CPS buildings.
The only board member to vote against it was Elizabeth Todd-Breland, who cited research showing that having police in schools often contributes to the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately affects students of color.
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High school senior Diego Garcia, who lives in Brighton Park, cited the same concern when he spoke out against school resource officers.
“The city of Chicago should be investing that money ... in our communities. They should be investing that money in after-school programs and mental health resources," said Garcia, 18. “We don’t need more cops. At the end of the day we are just being set up for the school-to-prison pipeline.”
Chicago police officers stand guard outside the police training academy on West Jackson Boulevard in Chicago as a large group of people protesting against police in Chicago Public Schools arrive on a march from Lincoln Park on June 4, 2020. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
Friday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot threw cold water on the idea of defunding police in schools.
“Yeah, we’re not gonna do that,” she said during a news conference in response to a question.
Lightfoot said she understands the concern about police in schools, but thinks the city has struck the right balance.
"Unfortunately, we need security in our schools," Lightfoot said. "We spent a lot of time a year ago working through challenges that we'd seen with police officers in schools. I think we've got a very good track record this school year making sure that CPS is in control, that officers are there for a limited purpose, but CPS personnel will deal with front-facing issues regarding students."
Yet outside the closed Zenos Colman Elementary School on the South Side Thursday evening, a few hundred people gathered to call for the removal of Chicago police from public schools.
Protesters held signs with messages like “Counselors Not Cops” and “No more CPD in CPS.” Organizers walked around with hand sanitizer and water bottles. The crowd cheered “Books, not cops” as students shared stories about the possibilities of what the cost of the police contract could instead fund.
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Michelle Yisrael, a nearby resident, said she came to the gathering because most of the men in her life, including her adult sons, have had problems with police. “And also I am an educator, and I never thought it was OK for the Chicago Police Department to be in the high schools. That’s never been OK with me.
The Police Department is currently reviewing its policies for school resource officers, who are assigned to 77% of CPS-run high schools, according to the district. The contract already includes several reforms to the way police are trained and involved with schools, a shift from reactive enforcement to proactive intervention.
Also new this school year, the district empowered elected local school councils to choose whether they want school resource officers and to have principals help choose them.
District-hired security officers are supposed to be the first point of contact in most cases, and police are only supposed to get involved when a crime has been committed or if there’s a serious, imminent safety threat — not for ordinary disciplinary matters.
Lane Tech computer science teacher Charity Freeman recently asked her students if the presence of police in their school made them feel safe or anxious. Though the majority of students said the police made them feel anxious, the ratio was much higher among students of color.
During one class discussion, an African American student asked: “What are they keeping us safe from? Are they protecting us from ourselves?”
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“From an African American male who lives in an over-policed community, that makes a whole bunch of sense,” Freeman said.
But Drake Booker, who was president of Bogan High School’s LSC for four years until last spring, said school-based officers can build rapport with students and are equipped to handle situations like fights in ways teachers can’t. If a student indicated feeling less safe with an officer in a school, he would ask why and take their comment into consideration. Maybe a particular officer isn’t a good fit for the school, but police presence can safeguard students, Booker said.
“I believe the officers in each facility should reflect the communities they serve,” he said. “Not from a standpoint that all white officers or non-black or brown officers are racist, but there is a degree to not being able to relate. … They know how to interact with that population of students. They’re not afraid.”
Regardless, he said the most important thing is for the officer to show compassion and empathy to their students’ situations rather than just being an enforcer.
Booker said he’s still in touch with one of the CPD officers who was assigned to Simeon High School when he was a student there. “He was very instrumental in my becoming a man, just the relationship that he formed with students.".”
A social studies teacher at Kenwood Academy, Dave Stieber, said the discussion around police in schools should focus on research, not anecdotes.
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Growing up, Stieber, who is white, always thought police were there to keep everyone safe. But his first week teaching at a South Side school nearly 13 years ago, a student started opening up to him about his experience with police.
“It opened my eyes a little bit,” Stieber said. “Learning history, teaching history, having students share their own experiences and stories, made me think about policing in general and why we have police in our schools.”
In a recent editorial in the Chicago Reporter, Stieber wrote that it feels disingenuous to him when educators get upset when police kill a black person, but are OK with police in schools.
“We need to internalize the research that police in schools harm kids instead of internalizing racism,” he wrote.
The district’s chief of safety and security, Jadine Chou, said feedback from students, families and others has been valuable.
“We remain committed to continued engagement and dialogue about the role of School Resource Officers," Chou said in a statement. “Last summer, the district empowered Local School Councils to determine if SROs would be assigned to their schools because we firmly believe that elected local leaders are best suited to make these decisions for their own communities.”
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When the matter came before the Benito Juarez Community Academy council in August, members present unanimously approved keeping officers in the Pilsen high school. The vote was also unanimous at Morgan Park High School, in the far southern neighborhood it’s named after.
But at some schools, the votes were mixed.
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At Back of the Yards College Prep, teacher and LSC member Hallie Trauger abstained during her council’s vote. As a representative, she tries to reflect the views of other teachers, and though many were in favor, some — herself included — had serious concerns.
“I think more systemically, what our schools need are counselors, mental health supports, resources that can help young people deal with conflict and trauma in a healthy way,” Trauger said.
Two white officers are assigned to the majority-Latino school, a fact that she said has come up before.
Officers assigned to CPS schools lacked proper training and faced little accountability, according to a 2017 report by the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. Between 2012 and 2016, CPS paid more than $2 million in misconduct settlements for police assigned to schools, according to the report.
Concerns about police in schools were also raised in the 2017 U.S. Department of Justice report on the Chicago Police Department, and addressed in the ensuing consent decree.
District officials said they’re continuing to solicit feedback, including a survey this spring sent to students, staff, administrators and LSC members. CPD is also starting a working group to review this feedback on its policy and make a recommendation for changes.
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The controversy isn’t likely to die down anytime soon. The Chicago Teachers Union planned a caravan protest Saturday “to demand that CPS change its distorted priorities and fund student needs instead of cops in our schools.”
The Chicago Tribune’s Jessica Villagomez contributed.
hleone@chicagotribune.com
mgreene@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-05--After motorist killed in high-speed police chase, mayor calls for review of pursuit policies

The Tribune was able to view traffic camera footage of the accident provided by a police source .
In the @ @ @ @ @ be seen speeding through the intersection before Francisco-Martinez ’ s black SUV passes a vehicle @ @ @ @ @ waiting to turn , and enters the intersection on a green light .
As her @ @ @ @ @ , a police vehicle with lights activated speeds through the red light into the intersection @ @ @ @ @ ’ s side of her vehicle .
Both vehicles then spin and slide through the @ @ @ @ @ struck an oncoming SUV head on .
That vehicle had been stopped at the red @ @

David Heinzmann, Jeremy Gorner, Gregory Pratt

An officer walks by three vehicles, including a Chicago police squad car, that were damaged June 3, 2020, while police pursued a homicide suspect near Ashland Avenue and Irving Park Road. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
The Chicago Police Department offered few details Thursday about a high-speed pursuit that killed a motorist when a police SUV sped through a red light the night before and caused a three-vehicle wreck on the Northwest Side.
Police had been chasing the 22-year-old suspect from the Far South Side to the Northwest Side before the fatal collision in the intersection of Irving Park Road and Ashland Avenue after the suspect stole a car from a nearby gas station. Police declined to answer questions about the underlying crimes that officers used to justify the chase. Charges were still pending against the man Thursday evening.
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At an afternoon news conference with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, police Superintendent David Brown said he was awaiting information from the major accidents unit, “even preliminary, we’ll be moving in either direction if we find misconduct.”
Killed in the collision was 37-year-old Guadalupe Francisco-Martinez, whom the Cook County medical examiner’s office said lived in the 5500 block of North Winthrop Avenue in the Edgewater neighborhood.
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The Tribune was able to view traffic camera footage of the accident provided by a police source. In the video, one car can be seen speeding through the intersection before Francisco-Martinez’s black SUV passes a vehicle on her left that was waiting to turn, and enters the intersection on a green light. As her vehicle travels into the intersection, a police vehicle with lights activated speeds through the red light into the intersection, slamming into the driver’s side of her vehicle. Both vehicles then spin and slide through the intersection. The police vehicle struck an oncoming SUV head on. That vehicle had been stopped at the red light.
Traffic camera video shows the fatal collision involving a Chicago Police Department vehicle pursuing a suspect through a red light. Provided by a police source. (Chicago Tribune Handout)
Police said three passengers from the third vehicle, a white Hummer, were taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The driver, 62, and two women with him, 29 and 44, were listed in fair condition.
The marked squad car’s emergency lights and siren were operating, police said.
Lightfoot also addressed the crash during her news conference.
Asked the reason for the chase, whether it was justified and why it wasn’t terminated, Lightfoot said she did not know the facts yet, but she’s been “very concerned about police pursuits” since becoming mayor.
“The frequency of them, that they cause death, they cause injury, they cause property damage, the whole works,” she said.
Lightfoot asked her chief risk officer to start a process reviewing existing pursuit policies and recommend changes. The city will make announcements for the new policy and training plan “soon,” she said.
She said the city has made “mistakes” in the past but doesn’t yet know if yesterday’s was.
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“I know obviously the tragic result, and once we understand the magnitude of the facts, we’ll be speaking more about it,” she said.
Lightfoot said “it’s easy” to say something based on a video, but they need a full investigation to understand what happened — why it was initiated, who was involved, what the reasons were and what supervisor instructions were, whether lights and sirens were used and whether people took precautions at intersections.
“There’s a lot that goes into investigating a pursuit, particularly when it spreads over a lengthy portion of geography. We’re not there yet,” she said. “I don’t want to get ahead of that and somehow prejudice what should be an independent, just-the-facts investigation.”
The lengthy geography of the incident was extraordinary as the police crisscrossed the city pursuing the man before he was arrested on foot after crashing a carjacked vehicle in the 900 block of Pershing Road, a couple of blocks south of Guaranteed Rate Field on the South Side.
Police said Thursday that the pursuit began in the southwest suburb of Midlothian when a dark-colored Jeep was identified as possibly involved in violent incidents in the southwest suburbs. Chicago police picked up the pursuit at 115th Street and Cottage Grove Avenue in the Roseland neighborhood shortly after 8 p.m.
Police spokesman Luis Agostini said investigators were still looking into why Chicago police continued the pursuit that started across the city limits in a suburb.
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Chicago officers tried curbing the Jeep in the 9400 block of South Union Avenue, but it sped off. Police chased it onto I-90/94 to the Northwest Side. At Irving Park Road and Keystone Avenue, the Jeep was involved in a traffic crash. No one was reported injured.
The driver abandoned the Jeep and ran to a gas station in the 3900 block of West Irving Park and took off in a 2016 Nissan SUV that was left running next to a pump. Aerial footage recorded by WGN-TV shows officers surrounding the silver Nissan and opening the doors, but the suspect was able to drive away.
He headed east on Irving Park where the fatal collision took place. The WGN footage shows the Nissan heading south on Outer Lake Shore Drive toward downtown. The suspect appeared to zigzag south of downtown before driving on train tracks. He crashed the SUV near Pershing Road and Morgan Street.


chicagotribune--2020-06-05--Chicago police car crashes into SUV, killing driver, while chasing homicide suspect

Traffic camera video shows the fatal collision involving a Chicago Police Department vehicle pursuing a suspect through a red light @ @ @ @ @ source

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chicagotribune--2020-06-04--River Forest man facing felony hate crime, assault charges after altercation at grocery store

“ We appreciate and support the thorough work of our River Forest Police Department as well as the cooperation of @ @ @ @ @ s Attorney ’ s Office to hold those who engage in criminal activity that is @ @ @ @ @ .
And , we applaud the witnesses that helped the investigators determine the facts in @ @ @ @ @ charges could be brought against this individual .
Finally , we ’ re pleased that @ @ @ @ @ by providing video footage , which helped us move forward quickly on this case .
@

Robert Palley of River Forest has been charged with a hate crime and aggravated battery after a June 3, 2020 incident in River Forest. (HANDOUT)
A River Forest man accused of racially insulting a young African American woman, then grabbing and hitting her, has been charged with two felonies, authorities said.
Prosecutors said Rob Palley, 61, of River Forest, was charged with a Class 4 hate crime and Class 3 aggravated battery, both felonies. He appeared before Judge Pamela M. Leeming and was released on his own recognizance. He is next due to appear in court on July 8.
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In an email to this newspaper, Palley said he was deeply sorry for what occurred that day.
“I wish I hadn’t acted the way I did,” Palley wrote. “I am sorry that my actions were so painful for the young lady in line at that Starbucks. She deserved better. I am sorry that this happened in such a painful week in such a painful year, in a world that has caused far too much pain to African Americans for far too long. I know these words of apology are only a start. I’m determined to do all I can to make this situation right and to work for healing in a world that so desperately needs healing.”
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Police said the incident started Wednesday around 10 a.m.
A verbal exchange between Palley and the 21-year-old woman began inside the Jewel-Osco at 7525 Lake Street, River Forest, police said.
According to prosecutors, Palley was in front of the woman in line at the Starbucks inside the grocery store and may have felt she was not keeping adequate social distance. “The victim states that the defendant called her a ‘Black b----’, and stated ‘That’s why black people are dying,’” prosecutors wrote.
After exiting the store, Cook County prosecutors said, the woman followed Palley to the parking lot and began filming him. After a few moments, he turned to face her, grabbed her phone, and, according to witnesses, then grabbed her hoodie and struck her, prosecutors said.
A physical altercation then ensued between the victim and the defendant, according to prosecutors.
Police said officers were on the scene “moments” after receiving 911 calls.
As of Friday evening, the woman who posted the video to social media had not responded to requests for comment.
“We have no tolerance for hate in River Forest,” said River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci in a statement posted on the village’s website.
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“We appreciate and support the thorough work of our River Forest Police Department as well as the cooperation of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to hold those who engage in criminal activity that is motivated by hate fully accountable," Adduci said. "We applaud the witnesses that helped the investigators determine the facts in this case so that felony charges could be brought against this individual. Finally, we’re pleased that officials from Jewel-Osco cooperated immediately by providing video footage, which helped us move forward quickly on this case.”
Chicago Tribune reporter William Lee contributed to this story.
sschering@pioneerlocal.com
Twitter: @steveschering


chicagotribune--2020-06-06--Mothers’ march unites black and Latino communities in demand for racial justice

“ The situation at hand is being overlooked by the looting and the violence and what ’ s really important @ @ @ @ @ ” she said.
`` ...
I feel as though ( Floyd ’ s ) death @ @ @ @ @ the camel ’ s back .
We needed this push not just as black people @ @ @ @ @ do something about everything that ’ s going on .
Something needed to be done @ @ @ @ @ police brutality .
So many lives have been lost and we ’ ve gone silent @ @ @ @ @ now , it ’ s silence no more .
”

Mothers from St. Agnes of Bohemia Catholic Church march down Central Park Avenue in Chicago to meet up with a group from St. Agatha Catholic Church on Friday, June 5, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Mothers from two Roman Catholic parishes in Chicago — one in a mostly black neighborhood, the other in a predominantly Latino community — marched Friday to a mural depicting civil rights heroes Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King Jr. to call for unity in the struggle against violence and police brutality.
“The African American community and the Latino community, we’re going through the same injustice,” said Dolores Castaneda, a mother from Little Village whose daughter is a survivor of gun violence. “It’s important that they don’t see us like an enemy. ... We need to start getting together and work for justice.”
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Mothers and children from St. Agnes of Bohemia gather in Little Village for a march to meet up on Friday, June 5, 2020, with a group from St. Agatha Catholic Church in North Lawndale. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
The marchers walked about a mile from their respective parishes — St. Agnes of Bohemia in Little Village and St. Agatha in North Lawndale — to meet at the mural on the corner of Ogden and Lawndale avenues. They carried signs in English and Spanish that said, among other things, “Black Lives Matter” and “Latina Moms Support Black Moms.”
The area has been especially tense during the unrest that followed the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Some have alleged that Latino gang members targeted black people as fears of looting grew in Little Village.
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The Rev. Brendan Curran of the Resurrection Project, a social service organization that works in the area, said the mother-led march was meant to channel fear into activism.
"We want to honor that work of communities working together to make real solutions that last," he said. "What we don't condone is this kind of vigilante violence we have seen. They don't represent the cause. They don't represent the spirit of George Floyd or the young activists that have been mobilizing all over the last week."
U.S. Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García and state Rep. Lisa Hernandez also addressed the crowd of about 100 people who gathered at the mural. García said he and others in Congress were planning to address police reform next week.
“We’re taking action on police accountability, to end profiling, to end blanket immunity and to ensure what we do our part to bring about true reform in our time,” he said. “We need healthy community-police relationships, and it will begin there. ... It is time to join forces and rebuild our communities into healthy, safe communities for all of our families.”
Hernandez, meanwhile, called for empathy.
Mothers and clergy from St. Agnes of Bohemia and St. Agatha meet in Little Village after their separate marches on Friday, June 5, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
“My Latino community, our immigrants, suffer ... but our African American (neighbors) suffer more," she said. “We have to stand in unity with them. There is so much pain out there, so much suffering. ... It’s necessary that communities come together. This is the way that we will be able to really squash the violence and anger that really just goes through our communities right now.”
Some of the marchers said they grasped the suffering of their neighbors. A woman who lost a son to street violence told the gathering that she could imagine what Floyd’s family was going through in the wake of his killing.
“We understand the pain of losing a loved one very well,” she said in Spanish. “It doesn’t matter how it happened, it doesn’t matter what color you are."
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While many of the speakers called for unity and an end to neighborhood clashes, Lauren Walker, who is from the near western suburb of Bellwood, said the focus of the recent demonstrations should remain clear.
“The situation at hand is being overlooked by the looting and the violence and what’s really important is the police brutality,” she said. " ... I feel as though (Floyd’s) death was the feather that broke the camel’s back. We needed this push not just as black people but as a community to do something about everything that’s going on. Something needed to be done about the injustice, the police brutality. So many lives have been lost and we’ve gone silent. I feel like right now, it’s silence no more.”
Westside Justice Center Executive Director Tanya Woods, who served as the event’s emcee, said the moment felt different from civil rights struggles of the past.
“I think what’s different are the young people who weren’t with us 40 years ago,” she said. “They’re not going to stand by idly and allow us to just march. They are not going to be satisfied with marginal amendments and perfunctory statutes. They are going to demand that our systems do better, and if our systems can’t do better, they will be dismantled and interrupted.”
jkeilman@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @JohnKeilman


chicagotribune--2020-06-06--2 Chicago cops relieved of police powers after woman says officers pulled her from car and placed kn

2 Chicago cops relieved of police powers after woman says officers pulled her from car and placed knee on her neck

“ I was trying to get out with my hands up .
They continue to break the window , and @ @ @ @ @ was being pulled out of the vehicle , pulled by my hair , ” Wright @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
“ The officer grabbed me .
I had my hair tied in a @ @ @ @ @ by the top of my bun and pulled me out of the vehicle .
And @ @ @ @ @ me on the ground , and he proceeded to put his knee in my neck @ @

Mia Wright, center, stands next to her cousin Tnika Tate on June 3, 2020, with Wright's mother, Kim Woods, in the background. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Two Chicago cops have been relieved of their police powers after a woman said officers pulled her from a car by her hair and placed a knee on her neck last weekend.
The action by police Superintendent David Brown came a day after the Civilian Office of Police Accountability recommended the action as it investigates the alleged incident at the Brickyard Mall at 2600 N. Narragansett Ave. on Sunday.
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Mia Wright, 25, said she had gone to the mall with family and friends not realizing it had been closed because of looting. While in the parking lot, she said officers surrounded her car, broke the windows with clubs and pulled her to the ground.
Warning: graphic content/language. Chicago police surrounded a vehicle, broke its windows and arrested a woman near Brickyard Mall in Chicago. (Chicago Tribune Handout)
“I was trying to get out with my hands up. They continue to break the window, and before you know it I was being pulled out of the vehicle, pulled by my hair,” Wright said at a news conference Thursday. “The officer grabbed me. I had my hair tied in a bun. He grabbed me by the top of my bun and pulled me out of the vehicle. And that is when they threw me on the ground, and he proceeded to put his knee in my neck.”
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The Cook County state’s attorney’s office has said it is reviewing her allegations in collaboration with the FBI.
The use of kneeling to restrain someone in police custody has been under scrutiny nationwide since George Floyd died after being restrained in that fashion by an officer in Minneapolis.
“All I thought about was George Floyd, and it could have been another situation like that,” Wright said. “I have anxiety now. I can’t sleep. I had to go to a doctor. I had to go to the emergency room.”
Wright was charged with disorderly conduct and released on Monday, according to police and the family. Her attorney, Nenye Uche, has asked that those charges be dropped.