chicagotribune--2020-06-03--George Floyd fallout: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ in TV address; National Guard to d

George Floyd fallout: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ in TV address; National Guard to deploy to suburbs tonight; mayor dismisses Trump’s military threat; large protest marches on North Side

Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed President Donald Trump ’ s threat to send the military into city streets across the country to quell protests as “ bluster , ” but promised to fight such a move in court if tries it in Chicago .
Earlier on Tuesday , the mayor announced that Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city .
But Lightfoot said she hasn ’ t yet determined when full access to the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public .
7:06 p.m. : Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘ stand for peace ’ and announces $ 10 million grant fund to help looted businesses Lightfoot also laid out a series of measures she has ordered new Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown to implement within 90 days as part of a broader effort at reforming the long-troubled department , some of which have been languishing for years .
“ If there is to be an uprising , let it be for peace .
I call on all people of good will , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , white , Asian , from all faith traditions , to rise up with me for peace , ” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office .
“ Stand for peace.
” The police reform measures Lightfoot wants to implement include teaching Chicago cops about `` the history of neighborhoods taught from the perspective of community members , inspired by youth-led neighborhood tours done by My Block , My Hood , My City .
The city also will implement an officer wellness program and complete an officer support program that supports cops in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ justice training for all officers , and establish a new recruit program on police-community relations and community policing with views from the community about what works , she said .
Referring to damaged businesses around the city , Lightfoot said , “ We will clean up these broken windows , but we can ’ t stop there .
We must also clean up and repair our broken systems.
” Lightfoot said the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd is linked to a history of racism in America and police misconduct exemplified by Laquan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cop Jon Burge .
She said “ four shameful Mineapolis police officers who took his life . ''
But Lightfoot took a strong stand against looting , saying the city can ’ t allow its pain to “ spill over into violence and destruction against our communities . ''
“ I will never stand for stealing the dreams and livelihoods of our neighbors .
I will never stand for abandoning our values and our love of this city , ” Lightfoot said .
“ My heart is broken over what has happened here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ —Gregory Pratt Shortly after 6 p.m. , leaders of various faiths led the crowd in prayers .
On the count of three , the marchers joined together in “ Black Lives Matter ” and started walking to music .
The crowd pumped their fists as voices in the song cried , “ Hands up , don ’ t shoot.
” Those at the front of the march held banners saying “ George Floyd ” and “ Black Lives Matter.
” Some nearby residents placed bottles of water on the sidewalk for those marching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Peace and Justice.
” 6:36 p.m. : McDonald ’ s , Walgreens and the Cubs among companies condemning racism in wake of George Floyd ’ s death While small businesses tend to broken store windows and damaged merchandise amid fallout from George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of Minneapolis police , brands such as Nike and Amazon are busy weighing in on systemic racism in America .
McDonald ’ s , Walgreens and the Chicago Cubs are among the Chicago-area companies that have posted social media messages , sent letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent days denouncing discrimination , and pledging commitments to diversity and inclusiveness .
It is not clear if the messages will resonate with customers , employees and a nation reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and more than a week of widespread social unrest , but brands are nonetheless racing to position themselves as champions of social justice .
Read more here .
—Robert Channick State officials announced Tuesday evening that nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites that had been shut down due to the fallout from the death of George Floyd in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Testing sites in Harwood Heights , Aurora , Rockford , East St. Louis , Bloomington , South Holland , the Chatham community area , Champaign , Rolling Meadows and Peoria would reopen Wednesday .
The Waukegan site will reopen Thursday in a new location to accommodate the return of vehicle emissions testing at the previous location .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker said Monday that some of the testing sites had to be shut down because local law enforcement weren ’ t able to provide protection for Illinois National Guard members staffing them during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the unfortunate consequences of what ’ s happened is we can ’ t have Guardsman out there unprotected providing the testing , ” Pritzker said .
—Dan Petrella Their mission , in terms of location , will be flexible so troops can respond to situations as they evolve .
The guard will only provide assistance when requested by local law enforcement , Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said .
The governor activated 250 additional guard members this week to help quell violence and vandalism in the metropolitan area .
He also has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assist with street closures .
The soldiers and airmen have been given explicit orders not to interfere with protesters who are exercising their First Amendment rights , the governor said .
In the suburbs , troops will be deployed to communities in platoons of 30 to 40 members .
“ We are doing — and will do — everything we can to protect private property , ” Pritzker said Monday .
“ We ’ ll continue to deploy as needed.
” In addition the guard units , the governor ordered the Illinois @ @ @ @ @ @ @ troopers to support local municipalities .
He also issued emergency proclamations for nine counties in Illinois to expedite the use of state resources , personnel and equipment to restore order .
—Stacy St. Clair 5:45 p.m. : Joliet mayor says he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed and shoved a protester in skirmish caught on video A video of the scuffle , which emerged Tuesday , shows a chaotic scene of police dispersing a crowd of people Sunday evening who had gathered in protest of the alleged murder of George Floyd by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show O ’ Dekirk grabbing a man by his collar and forcibly walking him toward a police car several yards away when a second person attacks the mayor from behind .
O ’ Dekirk and the first man appear to fall to the ground and are quickly surrounded by several other officers .
O ’ Dekirk said he acted in self-defense after he was “ confronted by a rioter and then attacked , ” adding later the unidentified man tried to shove him .
Read more here .
—Alicia Fabre Divvy bikes haven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because of mass looting and clashes with police downtown and in other areas .
On Tuesday , a local advocacy group for biking and transit launched a petition to bring back Divvy , as well as full CTA service .
But Mayor Lori Lightfoot said both the CTA and Divvy bikes have been used to commit crimes , and she could not turn a “ blind eye ” to the issue .
The Active Transportation Alliance said in a blog entry that while it appreciated the position faced by Chicago leaders , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever.
” Metra has been out of service since Monday morning , and both CTA and Pace suburban bus service shut down service on Sunday and Monday nights .
CTA has limited service during the day to avoid wide areas of the city , including downtown .
Pace also has not been coming into downtown Chicago , though it plans to resume normal service on Wednesday .
Read more here .
—Mary Wisniewski Lightfoot will speak at 6:30 p.m. from her ceremonial office , and “ deliver a State of the City Address @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ceremonial office to contextualize events that have happened in recent days , ” her office said .
You can watch Lightfoot ’ s address live here .
The mayor has spent the past several days pleading for peace as protesters marched and traveling mobs of citizens pillaged stores in the neighborhoods .
The city has blocked off downtown roads to keep non-residents or workers out – a decision that ’ s been criticized as prioritizing the Loop over neighborhoods , though Lightfoot defended the decision by saying it allowed officials to put police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Insurance should help businesses damaged during unrest , but merchants question whether it will be enough The looters who on Sunday ransacked Z Smoke Shop , which has been selling glass pipes and vaping products in Logan Square for eight years , left behind not only major damage but also empty shelves that could take weeks to fill .
A large group of protesters moved south down Clark Street from Wrigley Field around 2 p.m. , trailed by several cars and even a van toting water to keep marchers hydrated .
Bryan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car as a caravan and supply van for three days now .
“ I was watering my garden and I heard them coming , so I brought my watering can out to provide some relief , ” she said .
Crowds of predominantly young people streamed down sidewalks southbound on Clark clutching bottles of water and makeshift signs .
Many chanted “ Black Lives Matter ” as police on bike guided the crowd .
Part of the crowd stopped at Clark and Menomonee Street where a few hundred conducted a sit in .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Old Town a little after 3 p.m. , and making briefly for Lake Shore Drive , much of the group headed back north on Clark Street , although some split off and headed west .
—Jessica Villagomez 3:22 p.m. : Grocery delivery could be tougher to come by as George Floyd fallout continues Fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked protests and civil unrest in cities across the country , including Chicago .
A 9 p.m. curfew is in place in the city , where some damaged stores remain closed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That could make grocery delivery tougher to come by at a time when consumers , concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic , have been relying on the services to avoid unnecessary trips to the store .
Shipt , which delivers products from stores including Target and CVS , has temporarily suspended service in the downtown Chicago area .
Outside downtown and in the suburbs , it adjusted hours to comply with local curfews or earlier closing times at stores offering the service , the company said in an email .
Amazon , which owns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or scaled back delivery options to ensure workers ’ safety in a handful of cities , including Chicago .
Read more here .
—Lauren Zumbach 3:20 p.m. : Pritzker , Preckwinkle turn to religious and community leaders in urging protesters to channel anger toward criminal justice reform , economic development After four days of civil unrest , Gov .
J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday turned to religious and community leaders to urge protesters to channel anger over the death of George Floyd toward efforts for criminal justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ What ’ s very important to me is that we establish an agenda — an agenda that ’ s led , in part , by the very peaceful protesters that are out on the streets , that were there protesting last night , the night before and the night before , the folks who there with legitimate grievance , ” Pritzker said .
Preckwinkle encouraged those angered by the “ racist , preventable death ” of Floyd , who was African American , at the hands of a white police officer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and try to bring freedom and justice to every American.
” “ We can not do this by destroying our communities , ” said Preckwinkle , a Hyde Park resident .
“ We can not do this by decimating what makes our black and brown communities so strong , so close-knit , even in the face of decades , generations of racist government policies and disinvestment.
” Read more here .
—Dan Petrella Chicago police Superintendent David Brown on Tuesday explained his opposition to having National Guard troops patrol the city ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other unrest that has flared since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd .
“ Let ’ s revisit how we got here : We got here for an inappropriate use of force in Minneapolis , ” Brown said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday .
“ We got here through police officers not following their training in positionally asphyxiating a person until they died — caught on tape , and we ’ ve seen it over and over again to all of our embarrassment .
“ And now you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not suited to use force in the ways all of our residents expect ?
All the hard work that our profession has ... trained ...
I want to turn over to a National Guard that ’ s not trained , has no connection to our neighborhoods , have not been engaged , who have not built trust , to bring us back to the place we started ?
” Brown said .
“ We ’ re not considering that.
” Brown also noted that National Guard troops don ’ t have the training @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and asking them to step in is “ wrought with failure.
” “ What is the likely outcome when rocks are thrown at the National Guard ?
When shovels and other ( objects ) , hammers , when shots are fired from a crowd at the National Guard ?
” said Brown .
“ Likely not the restraint , the patience that our officers have utilized .
“ They don ’ t have the training in any of those areas or the experience , and to ask them to come into our neighborhoods @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decisions without the training is obviously asking for more of the same , ” he continued .
“ They peacefully protest and then they end the protest , while all at the same time factions of peaceful ( protesters ) are in the crowd ready to loot as soon as peaceful protests end ... , ” Brown said .
“ And then our officers have to both navigate First Amendment-sacred rights , but at the same no tolerance for looting.
” He also urged the public to help businesses board up their windows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he needs the public ’ s help with pushing back against rumors on social media “ that fuel some of the divisiveness ” in the city .
Such rumors about the civil unrest has caused anxiety among the public , he said .
—Jeremy Gorner Mayor Jacob Vandenberg of suburban Tinley Park said a temporary curfew has been reinstated for Tuesday night , starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday and ending at 6 a.m. Wednesday .
He cited a protest expected to take place this evening at the Oak Park Avenue Metra station .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure the safety and security of residents and businesses .
We appreciate your cooperation and understanding , ” the mayor said in a released statement .
—Chicago Tribune staff 2:15 p.m. : Lightfoot says she ’ ll see Trump in court if he tries to send in military : ‘ This is a man who likes to bluster ’ Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed President Donald Trump ’ s threat to send the military into city streets across the country to quell protests as “ bluster , ” but promised to fight such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Chicago .
Referring to a 2017 incident where Trump tweeted , “ Send in the feds !
” about city violence , Lightfoot said , `` Keep in mind , this is a man who likes to bluster .
Let ’ s not overreact.
” Late Monday , Trump held a Rose Garden news conference to threaten he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “ riots and lawlessness ” in states that have erupted since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd .
It was unclear what form such an action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pennsylvania Avenue to St. John ’ s Church , where he held a Bible for a photo-op , after federal officers had used tear gas , flash bangs and rubber bullets to clear peaceful protesters to make way for the president .
Gov .
J.B. Pritzker appeared on CNN as the scene unfolded and condemned Trump ’ s actions .
Lightfoot ’ s comments Tuesday marked the latest exchange between Chicago ’ s mayor and Trump .
Lightfoot last week responded to Trump tweeting a message that included , “ When the looting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reply to rioting in Minneapolis and elsewhere following Floyd ’ s death .
Lightfoot said the president can not be allowed to divide and destabilize the country .
Read more here .
—Gregory Pratt On the North side where marchers were set to gather at Wrigley Field at 2 p.m , and head south on Clark Street , the Town Hall District Station is just two blocks away .
Police have taped off the station .
By a little before 2 p.m. , a sizeable crowd had gathered in front of Wrigley .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ water and first aid supplies as temperatures push 90 degrees .
2:03 p.m. : Naperville businesses , residents get down to the business of cleaning up after looting Naperville residents awoke to a shattered downtown Tuesday , as a previous night of unrest led to looting and vandalism in the city ’ s main shopping and eating district .
And then they got to work .
Sonya Mingo-Williams and her two children left their Naperville home with brooms and trash bags at 6 a.m. , just as a citywide curfew lifted .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents ready to clean shattered glass from the sidewalks and scrub vandalized buildings .
People smashed stores windows along several blocks Monday , including the local library , Starbucks and Chico ’ s clothing store .
In addition to being vandalized , the Pandora jewelry store was entirely ransacked .
“ This is our town , and we were so disappointed by what happened last night , ” she said .
“ We wanted to come down and help as soon as we could.
” Mingo-Williams watched the violence unfold via social media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she saw .
She had attended a peaceful protest earlier in Naperville earlier in the day with her two children and it troubled her to watch the positive messages sent during that nonviolent gathering overshadowed by the destruction .
“ As a black family , we have talked to our children and it ’ s hard to see what ’ s going on in this country , ” she said .
“ We tell them that they can help bring about change .
Our message is strong and our message is important .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tried to exploit it.
” An estimated 300 people marched through the downtown Monday night , as police officers in riot gear watched .
At least one person reported being stabbed , but police had not yet determined whether he had been injured by broken glass or a knife .
As he surveyed the damage Tuesday morning , Mayor Steve Chirico said police had photographed license plates of cars parked in public garages and lots to determine where the participants live .
The analysis has not been completed , but he said early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not live in Naperville .
Chirico met with protestors earlier in the day , urging them to get involved in their communities by volunteering and supporting political candidates who believe in social justice .
The nonviolent protest ’ s message is now obscured by the nighttime unrest , he said .
“ I think it is lost , ” Chirico said as his voice choked with emotion .
“ And that ’ s unfortunate because people tried to do something good.
” There were still signed of goodness in Naperville that morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clean up efforts .
The group had most it cleaned up by 7:45 a.m. , as local businesses showed the gratitude by plying the volunteers with free food and drinks .
“ I wasn ’ t here to help with the ( peaceful ) protests yesterday and I felt like I needed to help , ” said Lisle resident Catt Eicher as she swept to up tiny shards of glass along Jackson Avenue .
“ It ’ s better than looking at Twitter and feel sad ( or ) angry.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing the resilience of our community , ” said White , the city council ’ s only African-American member .
`` People are down here lending a hand and making it happen .
I ’ m extremely proud of our community.
” —Stacy St. Clair Twelve people were taken into custody following two looting incidents at a Best Buy in Evanston , according to police .
“ We had people right around the corner , ” Henry said , so police responded right away after receiving the call .
That follows a similar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which seven people were taken into custody , Henry said .
None of the 12 people taken into custody over the two days were from Evanston , Henry said .
Police said they do not believe the incidents were connected to what was a peaceful protest Sunday afternoon .
Brandon Pegues and Amber L. Peltzer , both 28 and from the south suburbs , were charged Monday with illegal possession of a firearm .
This follows federal charges against Matthew Rupert , 28 , of Galesburg , for allegedly driving to Chicago @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Early Sunday , around 12:40 a.m. , Chicago police officers responded to crowds near 801 South Financial Place , authorities said .
The officers saw four men running south , some carrying hammers , according to court filings .
Pegues looked at the police , adjusted the right side of his waistband and fled south on South Financial Place , according to the complaint .
As officers chased him , he fell and a loaded 9 mm pistol dropped on the ground .
Pegues pushed it under a car , where police recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , officers approached Peltzer sitting in a car in front of a bar at 16th Street and Michigan Avenue after noticing the glass front door of the business was shattered , according to the complaint .
An officer saw Peltzer reach toward the front seat and the officers saw a loaded handgun lying there , authorities said .
Peltzer was convicted of aggravated robbery in Will County in 2014 , according to the federal filings .
He is from Lansing .
Pegues has a 2010 felony conviction for residential burglary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was sentenced to 30 months ’ probation .
He is from Riverdale .
—Sophie Sherry 11:50 a.m. : 6 Atlanta officers charged after dramatic video of arrest of college student from Chicago Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling two young people , including a college student from Chicago , from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd , a prosecutor said Tuesday .
“ I feel a little safer now that these monsters are off the street and no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Messiah Young , who was dragged from the vehicle along with his girlfriend , Taniyah Pilgrim , while they were caught in traffic .
Young , 22 , of Chicago , is a senior at Morehouse , where he ’ s studying business management .
Pilgrim , 20 — from San Antonio , Texas — is a psychology major at Spelman College .
Both schools are historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta .
Read more here .
—Associated Press Despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city , Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday , Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced .
Lightfoot previously said restaurants , hotels and many more businesses would get to start opening June 3 with reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking .
That timeline seemed imperiled in recent days as fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd led to nationwide protests and civil unrest , but Lightfoot said the city will move forward with its plan as scheduled .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a lot of consultation and , yes , a lot of prayer , we will reopen tomorrow and take this important next step as planned , ” Lightfoot said at a morning new conference .
The decision to reopen took some by surprise .
Over the weekend , Lightfoot suggested that protests could delay a reopening .
Read more here .
— Gregory Pratt 9:35 a.m. : Police release video of fatal shooting at North Riverside mall North Riverside Police have released video of a fatal shooting during Sunday ’ s looting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 12-second clip shows a gunman in pursuit of another man , who falls to the sidewalk behind Olive Garden Restaurant at North Riverside Park Mall .
The gunman , with both hands gripping a weapon , fires multiple times at close range into the fallen man ’ s body .
The gunman turns , runs and gets into a waiting car that then drives off .
Read more here .
—Todd Lighty 9:25 a.m. : 4 police officers shot in night of violence in St. Louis Four police officers were shot in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a day of peaceful protests turned into a violent and destructive night in the city .
Early in the day , hundreds of people gathered across the St. Louis region again Monday to protest the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Just after midnight , four officers , all men , were shot near 16th and Olive streets .
All four are conscious , and their injuries are considered non-life-threatening .
Read more here .
—St .
Louis Post-Dispatch 8 a.m. : Lombard man charged with attempted terrorism after police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocktail A Lombard man has been charged with attempted terrorism after police say he approached squad cars with a Molotov cocktail , lighters and a bat .
Christian Frazee , 25 of the 900 Block of South Lombard Avenue in the western suburb , has been ordered held on $ 1 million bond .
Police said Frazee was dressed in black , wearing a face covering and latex gloves , when he headed toward the Village of Lombard municipal campus around 12:30 a.m. Monday .
Frazee was seen walking toward squad cars and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocktail , according to a statement from DuPage County ’ s state ’ s attorney ’ s office .
Frazee also had a butane torch , seven additional lighters and a bat .
Frazee was charged with one count of possession of an incendiary device and one count of attempted terrorism , both felonies .
—Sophie Sherry 7:45 a.m. : Two shot dead and 60 arrested in Cicero , town blames ‘ outside agitators ’ Police in riot gear patrolled the streets of Cicero Monday night after two people were shot dead and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of unrest that the western suburb blamed on “ outside agitators.
” At least 60 people were arrested as the town deployed more than 100 officers in addition to more than 100 sheriff ’ s officers and state troopers .
“ Outside agitators shot at least two people near 50th Street and Cermak Road , ” Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said .
“ But police apprehended the three suspects involved in the shooting .
These were outside agitators who were driving through Cicero seeking to cause trouble.
” Read more here .
—Jessica @ @ @ @ @ @ @ city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over response some found lacking For some three hours on Sunday , the officers stood in a long row on Pulaski Road , a line of blue visible from blocks away .
They wore face shields , many flipped up to reveal expressionless faces .
The lights of idling police vehicles flickered at their backs .
And right in front of them on Madison Street , the West Garfield Park neighborhood ’ s main business artery , liquor stores , wig shops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as people packed shopping carts and shoved large plastic storage bins full of items down the street .
They carried liquor bottles and mannequin heads , crawling through broken windows to find items .
All the while , the officers did not intervene .
Read more here .
– Annie Sweeney , Gregory Pratt and Jeremy Gorner 6 a.m. : Sparked by death of George Floyd in Minneapolis , protests in Chicago fueled by decades of Police Department problems George Floyd ’ s death at the hands of police 400 miles away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the demonstrations here are rooted in anger over decades of abuse of African Americans by the city ’ s officers , activists said .
The protests continued a tradition of Chicago activists crowding streets to complain about bias in enforcement , a lack of accountability for officers and police killing black people .
The motivating forces driving the protests also extend beyond policing to unemployment and an often-ineffective health care system at a moment when a coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately hurt minorities , said Aislinn Pulley , a co-founder of Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here .
—Dan Hinkel 5:50 a.m. : Federal authorities accuse Galesburg man of traveling to Chicago for protests with homemade bombs , charge him with inciting a riot An Illinois man arrested in Chicago over the weekend had homemade bombs in his car and had been seen on videos posted on the internet participating in the looting and rioting in Minneapolis and Chicago , according to federal charges filed Monday .
Matthew Rupert , 28 , of Galesburg , was charged in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with inciting a riot and possession @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show .
Read more here .
—Jason Meisner

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)
In a televised speech aimed at calming a city rocked by widespread looting, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced a $10 million grant fund for looted businesses and promised to implement a series of long-stalled police reforms.
“If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace. I call on all people of goodwill, young, old, black, brown, white, Asian, from all faith traditions, to rise up with me for peace,” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office. “Stand for peace.”
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The mayor’s address came after an earlier announcement that Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city. But Lightfoot said she hasn’t yet determined when full access to the city’s downtown will be restored to the public.
[ Tribune photographers capture the protests and unrest in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd ]
[ How the weekend unfolded: Timeline of Chicago protests, looting and unrest ]
[ Get breaking news as it happens with email alerts from the Tribune ]
Here are the latest developments:
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9:39 p.m.: Downtown begins to reopen on Wednesday, after day of shutdowns and reduced transit service
After days of road closures and reduced transit service because of incidents of looting and violence, access to downtown Chicago will start to reopen on Wednesday, in time for loosened restrictions on businesses.
Metra, which has been out of service since Monday morning, planned to resume a modified schedule on most lines on Wednesday. The CTA planned to restart bus and rail service to downtown at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, though some train stops located within or near downtown will remain closed, according to the city.
Pace suburban bus service also said it plans to resume normal service on Wednesday, including I-55 express service and ADA paratransit service to downtown Chicago. Both CTA and Pace had canceled overnight service on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.
Divvy bikes, out of service since Sunday afternoon, will reopen on Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. and will be available until 8 p.m., the city said.
Lake Shore Drive will reopen, but with exits at Michigan, Chicago and Grand Avenues, Lower Wacker Drive and Randolph Street remaining closed. Also reopening are entrance and exit ramps on Interstate 290 and I-90/94, the city said.
Bridges in the central business district, which had been raised to discourage looting and vandalism, will be lowered over the Chicago River on Clark, Dearborn, Lake, Randolph, Wells and Washington Streets, the city said.
The citywide curfew for all residents and visitors, effective from until 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. will remain in effect until further notice. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
8:58 p.m.: Fighting for those ‘whose stories don’t get told’
As the march kept on toward 51st, one woman wearing a mask clapped along to the booming music repeating “Black Lives Matter” in the shade of a bus stop. Marchers guzzled down water and cleared out in front of the banners leading the crowd so George Floyd’s name could be clearly seen.
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Cece Carlson, 28, of Bronzeville, said she came to the march to stand in solidarity and march with her sister.
“First and foremost, I’m a black woman so that in itself, my identity, is what brought me out,” Carlson said. “This is my neighborhood.”
Carlson said she’s tired of police brutality and those who get away with it “over and over again.”
“And I’m here fighting for the lives whose names don’t get remembered, whose stories don’t get told,” Carlson said. “Like Breonna Taylor, and countless others.”
Carlson said she hopes people are “thinking about not just the actions they’re taking in the present but the actions they’re taking for the rest of their lives” to support black lives.
“And I want to call action to white people,” Carlson said. “What are you white people going to do about it?”
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Xavier Vance, 29, of Englewood, said he came to the Bronzeville march for “justice for Floyd, justice for every person that was black, wrongfully killed and wrongfully convicted.”
Vance said he has been marching “every day, all weekend.”
“Sometimes I will just get out of my car and see a protest and join a march, just to support the cause and make sure my voice is heard,” Vance said.
“I’m hoping people understand the pain that we go through, seeing our loved ones being murdered by the hands of people that are supposed to protect us,” Vance added.
He hopes to keep attending events until there is justice for Floyd and his family, Vance said.
“I have twin brothers that I’m concerned about growing up and being a man in this dangerous world that’s built to not protect them,” Vance said. “Mainly I’m just hoping that we can get through to those, get through to police officers, and that we can make some change by being out here during the pandemic. And that we can just make some change in the world in general. It’s not right that we have to do this during the pandemic. It’s not right seeing our people killed for decades.” —Morgan Greene
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8:07 p.m.: ‘The side of Chicago that somebody needs to see’
Protesters, numbering in the thousands, paused every few blocks for short speeches on unity, police brutality and seeking justice for George Floyd from faith leaders including pastors, imams and rabbis. Residents along the drive looked out from windows and held up their phones to film. Signs with messages like “Time 4 Change” and “Jesus Loves Justice” went up as the sun started to set.
Nakelia Franklin, 27, of Bronzeville, said she came to the march because, as a social worker, she wants justice for everyone.
“I’m a young African American so this just hits home,” Franklin said. “If we don’t stand for it then no one else will.
“I think people just need to realize that this is real,” Franklin added. “This is real life. This isn’t something that happens once a year. It happens every day.”
Courtney Kimble, also a Bronzeville resident, set up a chair on the grass to support marchers as they headed south. She said anyone trying to justify the recent tragic events “just ripped my heart out of my chest.”
“This is the least I can do,” Kimble said. “We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day. Every one of these people is beautiful.
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“This is the side of Chicago that somebody needs to see,” Kimble said. “I hear people chanting about Bronzeville strong and solidarity. This is awesome.” —Morgan Greene
7:43 p.m.: Surprise demonstration in Elmhurst a peaceful affair Tuesday evening
Roughly 200 demonstrators covered all four corners of North Avenue and North York Street in Elmhurst Tuesday afternoon as they chanted and waved placards demanding racial justice.
It was a peaceful gathering, but one that caught the DuPage County city by surprise. Officials announced Monday that organizers had agreed to push back a march and vigil planned for Tuesday by one week “in hopes that the broader criminal behavior that we are alerted to has subsided.”
But when they learned people were coming anyway, they sent another alert Tuesday afternoon saying the city had restricted vehicle access to the retail strip along York Street and asked businesses to close by 3 p.m.
By 6 p.m., with the demonstration going strong, about half the businesses on York had boarded up their windows. Robert Fonzino, owner of the Bilancio salon and day spa, was still waiting for his carpenter to arrive, regretting that he had lost an afternoon of business on his first day open in 10 weeks.
“I don’t know what the cause is,” he said. “I think the protesters are fine. I think their hearts are in the right place. I don’t think that’s the problem. I think it’s the thugs that follow. I don’t think they have any idea what they’re doing other than to be destructive.”
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But as the evening began, nothing belligerent was happening back at the intersection. Elmhurst resident Yeena Yoo, holding a sign that read “It is better to protest than to accept injustice,” brought her two young kids to the demonstration, saying she had no safety concerns and felt it was important to participate.
“I am appalled by the racial injustices that are happening all over our country, so I’m here with my children because I feel it’s really important to have peaceful protest, just like Martin Luther King did,” she said.
Police from Elmhurst and Bensenville hung back from the gathering, which garnered many honks of support from passing cars.
“It’s peaceful; there’s no rioting or anything like that,” said Andre Sorrell, a Chicago native who has lived in Elmhurst for about a year and a half. “It’s been a long time coming … I have an interracial family so this movement means a lot to me. Anything that can make the future better for my kids, I’m all for it.” —John Keilman
7:06 p.m.: Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ and announces $10 million grant fund to help looted businesses
In a televised speech aimed at calming a city rocked by widespread looting, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday evening announced a $10 million grant fund for looted businesses and promised to implement a series of long-stalled police reforms.
Lightfoot also laid out a series of measures she has ordered new Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown to implement within 90 days as part of a broader effort at reforming the long-troubled department, some of which have been languishing for years.
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“If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace. I call on all people of good will, young, old, black, brown, white, Asian, from all faith traditions, to rise up with me for peace,” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office. “Stand for peace.”
The police reform measures Lightfoot wants to implement include teaching Chicago cops about "the history of neighborhoods taught from the perspective of community members, inspired by youth-led neighborhood tours done by My Block, My Hood, My City.
The city also will implement an officer wellness program and complete an officer support program that supports cops in crisis, mandate crisis intervention and procedural justice training for all officers, and establish a new recruit program on police-community relations and community policing with views from the community about what works, she said.
Referring to damaged businesses around the city, Lightfoot said, “We will clean up these broken windows, but we can’t stop there. We must also clean up and repair our broken systems.”
Lightfoot said the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd is linked to a history of racism in America and police misconduct exemplified by Laquan McDonald’s murder and infamous city cop Jon Burge. She said “four shameful Mineapolis police officers who took his life."
But Lightfoot took a strong stand against looting, saying the city can’t allow its pain to “spill over into violence and destruction against our communities."
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“I will never stand for stealing the dreams and livelihoods of our neighbors. I will never stand for abandoning our values and our love of this city,” Lightfoot said. “My heart is broken over what has happened here in the city that I love.” —Gregory Pratt
6:44 p.m.: Marching for peace and justice in Bronzeville
On a sweltering Tuesday evening, dozens of faith and community leaders gathered in Bronzeville to lead a peaceful march in memory of George Floyd.
Shortly after 6 p.m., leaders of various faiths led the crowd in prayers. On the count of three, the marchers joined together in “Black Lives Matter” and started walking to music. The crowd pumped their fists as voices in the song cried, “Hands up, don’t shoot.” Those at the front of the march held banners saying “George Floyd” and “Black Lives Matter.”
Organizers said they planned the march for South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as a symbolic gesture, to represent its peaceful nature.
Some nearby residents placed bottles of water on the sidewalk for those marching. Others held signs with messages like “Peace and Justice.”
The crowd headed south toward East 51st Street and the protest was expected to end at Washington Park. —Morgan Greene
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Marchers heading south on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on this sweltering evening, pausing for short speeches along the way from leaders of various faiths pic.twitter.com/FOw0oNTOK2 — Morgan Greene (@MorGreene) June 2, 2020
Ryleigh, 4, holds a sign while attending a rally in the Bronzeville neighborhood in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/QdyxvgFoQC — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) June 3, 2020
6:36 p.m.: McDonald’s, Walgreens and the Cubs among companies condemning racism in wake of George Floyd’s death
While small businesses tend to broken store windows and damaged merchandise amid fallout from George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police, brands such as Nike and Amazon are busy weighing in on systemic racism in America.
McDonald’s, Walgreens and the Chicago Cubs are among the Chicago-area companies that have posted social media messages, sent letters to employees and held town halls in recent days denouncing discrimination, and pledging commitments to diversity and inclusiveness.
“When any member of our McFamily hurts, we all hurt,” Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said in a public LinkedIn post Saturday.
It is not clear if the messages will resonate with customers, employees and a nation reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic and more than a week of widespread social unrest, but brands are nonetheless racing to position themselves as champions of social justice. Read more here. —Robert Channick
6:02 p.m.: Nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites shut down due to George Floyd fallout will reopen
State officials announced Tuesday evening that nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites that had been shut down due to the fallout from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis would reopen Wednesday and Thursday.
Testing sites in Harwood Heights, Aurora, Rockford, East St. Louis, Bloomington, South Holland, the Chatham community area, Champaign, Rolling Meadows and Peoria would reopen Wednesday. The Waukegan site will reopen Thursday in a new location to accommodate the return of vehicle emissions testing at the previous location.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that some of the testing sites had to be shut down because local law enforcement weren’t able to provide protection for Illinois National Guard members staffing them during the unrest.
“It’s one of the unfortunate consequences of what’s happened is we can’t have Guardsman out there unprotected providing the testing,” Pritzker said. —Dan Petrella
5:47 p.m.: National Guard set to deploy to suburbs Tuesday night
More than 200 Illinois National Guard members are in final preparations for deploying to the Chicago suburbs Tuesday night, according to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s office.
Their mission, in terms of location, will be flexible so troops can respond to situations as they evolve. The guard will only provide assistance when requested by local law enforcement, Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
The guard’s availability comes as local law-enforcement officials are monitoring potential unrest in Downers Grove, Elmhurst, Joliet and Oak Brook Tuesday night.
The governor activated 250 additional guard members this week to help quell violence and vandalism in the metropolitan area. He also has deployed 375 soldiers and airmen to Chicago to assist with street closures.
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The soldiers and airmen have been given explicit orders not to interfere with protesters who are exercising their First Amendment rights, the governor said. In the suburbs, troops will be deployed to communities in platoons of 30 to 40 members.
“We are doing — and will do — everything we can to protect private property,” Pritzker said Monday. “We’ll continue to deploy as needed.”
A day before the activation, the Illinois National Guard provided aerial support during unrest in downtown Aurora Sunday night.
In addition the guard units, the governor ordered the Illinois State Police to provide an additional 300 troopers to support local municipalities. He also issued emergency proclamations for nine counties in Illinois to expedite the use of state resources, personnel and equipment to restore order. —Stacy St. Clair
5:45 p.m.: Joliet mayor says he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed and shoved a protester in skirmish caught on video
Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk released a statement Tuesday saying he was acting in self-defense during a skirmish with a protester Sunday evening.
A video of the scuffle, which emerged Tuesday, shows a chaotic scene of police dispersing a crowd of people Sunday evening who had gathered in protest of the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
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The video appears to show O’Dekirk grabbing a man by his collar and forcibly walking him toward a police car several yards away when a second person attacks the mayor from behind. O’Dekirk and the first man appear to fall to the ground and are quickly surrounded by several other officers.
It’s unclear from the video what prompted O’Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer, to place his hands on the first man.
O’Dekirk said he acted in self-defense after he was “confronted by a rioter and then attacked,” adding later the unidentified man tried to shove him. Read more here. —Alicia Fabre
4:54 p.m.: Divvy bikes suspended in wake of mass looting; activists decry cutbacks to public transit
Divvy bikes haven’t been available since Sunday afternoon because of mass looting and clashes with police downtown and in other areas.
On Tuesday, a local advocacy group for biking and transit launched a petition to bring back Divvy, as well as full CTA service. But Mayor Lori Lightfoot said both the CTA and Divvy bikes have been used to commit crimes, and she could not turn a “blind eye” to the issue.
The Active Transportation Alliance said in a blog entry that while it appreciated the position faced by Chicago leaders, “we need reliable transportation options more than ever.”
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Metra has been out of service since Monday morning, and both CTA and Pace suburban bus service shut down service on Sunday and Monday nights. CTA has limited service during the day to avoid wide areas of the city, including downtown. Pace also has not been coming into downtown Chicago, though it plans to resume normal service on Wednesday. Read more here. —Mary Wisniewski
4:30 p.m.: Lightfoot to give televised address this evening
Amid ongoing civil unrest following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will give a televised address this evening that’s largely expected to encourage the public to stay calm.
Lightfoot will speak at 6:30 p.m. from her ceremonial office, and “deliver a State of the City Address to Chicago’s residents from her ceremonial office to contextualize events that have happened in recent days,” her office said. You can watch Lightfoot’s address live here.
The mayor has spent the past several days pleading for peace as protesters marched and traveling mobs of citizens pillaged stores in the neighborhoods. The city has blocked off downtown roads to keep non-residents or workers out – a decision that’s been criticized as prioritizing the Loop over neighborhoods, though Lightfoot defended the decision by saying it allowed officials to put police in neighborhoods. —Gregory Pratt
4:20 p.m.: Insurance should help businesses damaged during unrest, but merchants question whether it will be enough
The looters who on Sunday ransacked Z Smoke Shop, which has been selling glass pipes and vaping products in Logan Square for eight years, left behind not only major damage but also empty shelves that could take weeks to fill.
“We will be closed for a good while,” said manager Kyle Korab. “There isn’t one piece of glass that isn’t broke.”
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The business called its insurance company immediately. Now it’s waiting, nervously, to see if its claim is approved.
“We’re not 100% sure,” Korab said. “They might find a reason to not cover it.” Read the story here. —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
4 p.m.: Protesters march from Wrigley Field to Old Town
A large group of protesters moved south down Clark Street from Wrigley Field around 2 p.m., trailed by several cars and even a van toting water to keep marchers hydrated.
Bryan Cho said he has been volunteering his car as a caravan and supply van for three days now.
“Water guys, take as many as you need,” he said.
More than 20 cars appeared to be following along with the group, handing out water.
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At the corner of Clark and Drummond Place, Laura Janota took a break from watering her garden to pour water onto exhausted marchers.
“I was watering my garden and I heard them coming, so I brought my watering can out to provide some relief,” she said.
Laura Janota from Lincoln Park stands at the corner of Clark and Drummond Place pouring water onto exhausted marchers. “I was watering my garden and I heard them coming, so I brought my watering can out to provide some relief,” she said. pic.twitter.com/6dkerzIsyP — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) June 2, 2020
Crowds of predominantly young people streamed down sidewalks southbound on Clark clutching bottles of water and makeshift signs. Many chanted “Black Lives Matter” as police on bike guided the crowd. Part of the crowd stopped at Clark and Menomonee Street where a few hundred conducted a sit in.
After marching to the north end of Old Town a little after 3 p.m., and making briefly for Lake Shore Drive, much of the group headed back north on Clark Street, although some split off and headed west. —Jessica Villagomez
3:22 p.m.: Grocery delivery could be tougher to come by as George Floyd fallout continues
Delivery services like Amazon, Instacart and Shipt say they have scaled back services in cities including Chicago amid ongoing unrest and looting.
Fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd sparked protests and civil unrest in cities across the country, including Chicago. A 9 p.m. curfew is in place in the city, where some damaged stores remain closed and others have reduced their hours.
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That could make grocery delivery tougher to come by at a time when consumers, concerned about the COVID-19 pandemic, have been relying on the services to avoid unnecessary trips to the store.
Shipt, which delivers products from stores including Target and CVS, has temporarily suspended service in the downtown Chicago area. Outside downtown and in the suburbs, it adjusted hours to comply with local curfews or earlier closing times at stores offering the service, the company said in an email.
Amazon, which owns Whole Foods, said it adjusted routes or scaled back delivery options to ensure workers’ safety in a handful of cities, including Chicago. Read more here. —Lauren Zumbach
3:20 p.m.: Pritzker, Preckwinkle turn to religious and community leaders in urging protesters to channel anger toward criminal justice reform, economic development
After four days of civil unrest, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Tuesday turned to religious and community leaders to urge protesters to channel anger over the death of George Floyd toward efforts for criminal justice reform and economic development in minority communities.
“What’s very important to me is that we establish an agenda — an agenda that’s led, in part, by the very peaceful protesters that are out on the streets, that were there protesting last night, the night before and the night before, the folks who there with legitimate grievance,” Pritzker said.
Preckwinkle encouraged those angered by the “racist, preventable death” of Floyd, who was African American, at the hands of a white police officer in Minneapolis to “seize this moment and try to bring freedom and justice to every American.”
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“We cannot do this by destroying our communities,” said Preckwinkle, a Hyde Park resident. “We cannot do this by decimating what makes our black and brown communities so strong, so close-knit, even in the face of decades, generations of racist government policies and disinvestment.” Read more here. —Dan Petrella
3:10 p.m.: Top cop says National Guard troops patrolling neighborhoods would be ‘wrought with failure’
Chicago police Superintendent David Brown on Tuesday explained his opposition to having National Guard troops patrol the city’s neighborhoods to quell protests, looting, and other unrest that has flared since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
“Let’s revisit how we got here: We got here for an inappropriate use of force in Minneapolis,” Brown said at an unrelated news conference Tuesday. “We got here through police officers not following their training in positionally asphyxiating a person until they died — caught on tape, and we’ve seen it over and over again to all of our embarrassment.
“And now you want to call in the National Guard who are not suited to use force in the ways all of our residents expect? All the hard work that our profession has ... trained ... I want to turn over to a National Guard that’s not trained, has no connection to our neighborhoods, have not been engaged, who have not built trust, to bring us back to the place we started?” Brown said. “We’re not considering that.”
Brown also noted that National Guard troops don’t have the training in de-escalation as police officers do, and asking them to step in is “wrought with failure.”
“What is the likely outcome when rocks are thrown at the National Guard? When shovels and other (objects), hammers, when shots are fired from a crowd at the National Guard?” said Brown. “Likely not the restraint, the patience that our officers have utilized.
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“They don’t have the training in any of those areas or the experience, and to ask them to come into our neighborhoods and be faced with those critical split-second decisions without the training is obviously asking for more of the same,” he continued.
Brown also addressed the “looters’ tactics,” and their connection to protests and the challenges police face.
“They peacefully protest and then they end the protest, while all at the same time factions of peaceful (protesters) are in the crowd ready to loot as soon as peaceful protests end ...,” Brown said. “And then our officers have to both navigate First Amendment-sacred rights, but at the same no tolerance for looting.”
He also urged the public to help businesses board up their windows and rebuild the city. He said he needs the public’s help with pushing back against rumors on social media “that fuel some of the divisiveness” in the city. Such rumors about the civil unrest has caused anxiety among the public, he said. —Jeremy Gorner
2:19 p.m.: Tinley Park imposes curfew ahead of scheduled protest
Mayor Jacob Vandenberg of suburban Tinley Park said a temporary curfew has been reinstated for Tuesday night, starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday and ending at 6 a.m. Wednesday. He cited a protest expected to take place this evening at the Oak Park Avenue Metra station.
The village is requesting that businesses along Oak Park Avenue close at 3 p.m. Tuesday.
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“The Village is taking these measures to ensure the safety and security of residents and businesses. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding,” the mayor said in a released statement. —Chicago Tribune staff
2:15 p.m.: Lightfoot says she’ll see Trump in court if he tries to send in military: ‘This is a man who likes to bluster’
Mayor Lori Lightfoot dismissed President Donald Trump’s threat to send the military into city streets across the country to quell protests as “bluster,” but promised to fight such a move in court if tries it in Chicago.
“That’s not gonna happen,” Lightfoot said Tuesday. “I will see him in court.”
Referring to a 2017 incident where Trump tweeted, “Send in the feds!” about city violence, Lightfoot said, "Keep in mind, this is a man who likes to bluster. Let’s not overreact.”
Late Monday, Trump held a Rose Garden news conference to threaten he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “riots and lawlessness” in states that have erupted since the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd. It was unclear what form such an action might take.
Trump then walked across Pennsylvania Avenue to St. John’s Church, where he held a Bible for a photo-op, after federal officers had used tear gas, flash bangs and rubber bullets to clear peaceful protesters to make way for the president. Gov. J.B. Pritzker appeared on CNN as the scene unfolded and condemned Trump’s actions.
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Lightfoot’s comments Tuesday marked the latest exchange between Chicago’s mayor and Trump. Lightfoot last week responded to Trump tweeting a message that included, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts” in reply to rioting in Minneapolis and elsewhere following Floyd’s death. Lightfoot said the president cannot be allowed to divide and destabilize the country. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
2:05 p.m.: Protesters gather Tuesday afternoon outside Wrigley Field for North Side protest march
On the North side where marchers were set to gather at Wrigley Field at 2 p.m, and head south on Clark Street, the Town Hall District Station is just two blocks away. Police have taped off the station.
By a little before 2 p.m., a sizeable crowd had gathered in front of Wrigley. Many people were hauling packs of bottled water and first aid supplies as temperatures push 90 degrees.
“This is not a riot!,” the crowd chanted.
Sizeable crowd gathered in front of #wrigleyfield. Many people are hauling packs of bottled water and first aid supplies as temps push 90 degrees. “This is not a riot!,” the crowd chants. pic.twitter.com/46xTG0ovXE — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) June 2, 2020
2:03 p.m.: Naperville businesses, residents get down to the business of cleaning up after looting
Naperville residents awoke to a shattered downtown Tuesday, as a previous night of unrest led to looting and vandalism in the city’s main shopping and eating district. And then they got to work.
Sonya Mingo-Williams and her two children left their Naperville home with brooms and trash bags at 6 a.m., just as a citywide curfew lifted. They arrived to find hundreds of like-minded Naperville residents ready to clean shattered glass from the sidewalks and scrub vandalized buildings.
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People smashed stores windows along several blocks Monday, including the local library, Starbucks and Chico’s clothing store. In addition to being vandalized, the Pandora jewelry store was entirely ransacked.
“This is our town, and we were so disappointed by what happened last night,” she said. “We wanted to come down and help as soon as we could.”
Mingo-Williams watched the violence unfold via social media Monday and was disheartened by the crimes she saw. She had attended a peaceful protest earlier in Naperville earlier in the day with her two children and it troubled her to watch the positive messages sent during that nonviolent gathering overshadowed by the destruction.
“As a black family, we have talked to our children and it’s hard to see what’s going on in this country,” she said. “We tell them that they can help bring about change. Our message is strong and our message is important. And in this moment, people have tried to exploit it.”
An estimated 300 people marched through the downtown Monday night, as police officers in riot gear watched. At least one person reported being stabbed, but police had not yet determined whether he had been injured by broken glass or a knife.
A police officer was injured by a fireworks, officials said. His condition was unknown.
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As he surveyed the damage Tuesday morning, Mayor Steve Chirico said police had photographed license plates of cars parked in public garages and lots to determine where the participants live. The analysis has not been completed, but he said early indications are between 80 to 90% did not live in Naperville.
Chirico met with protestors earlier in the day, urging them to get involved in their communities by volunteering and supporting political candidates who believe in social justice. The nonviolent protest’s message is now obscured by the nighttime unrest, he said.
“I think it is lost,” Chirico said as his voice choked with emotion. “And that’s unfortunate because people tried to do something good.”
There were still signed of goodness in Naperville that morning, as estimated 700 people helped with clean up efforts. The group had most it cleaned up by 7:45 a.m., as local businesses showed the gratitude by plying the volunteers with free food and drinks.
“I wasn’t here to help with the (peaceful) protests yesterday and I felt like I needed to help,” said Lisle resident Catt Eicher as she swept to up tiny shards of glass along Jackson Avenue. “It’s better than looking at Twitter and feel sad (or) angry.”
The town’s response heartened Councilman Benny White, who marched in the nonviolent protest earlier Monday.
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“The great thing, for me, is seeing the resilience of our community,” said White, the city council’s only African-American member. "People are down here lending a hand and making it happen. I’m extremely proud of our community.” —Stacy St. Clair
1:22 p.m.: Evanston police take 12 people into custody following Best Buy looting incidents
Twelve people were taken into custody following two looting incidents at a Best Buy in Evanston, according to police.
Evanston police responded to a report of looting at the Best Buy store on Howard Street Monday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., said Evanston police Commander Brian Henry.
“We had people right around the corner,” Henry said, so police responded right away after receiving the call.
Police took a total of five people into custody following that “organized” incident Monday.
That follows a similar incident at the same store Sunday evening in which seven people were taken into custody, Henry said.
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None of the 12 people taken into custody over the two days were from Evanston, Henry said. Police said they do not believe the incidents were connected to what was a peaceful protest Sunday afternoon.
Charges were pending as of Tuesday morning. —Genevieve Bookwalter
12:57 p.m.: Feds charge 2 more people in connection to weekend looting in Chicago
Two more people face federal charges following looting in Chicago over the weekend.
Brandon Pegues and Amber L. Peltzer, both 28 and from the south suburbs, were charged Monday with illegal possession of a firearm. This follows federal charges against Matthew Rupert, 28, of Galesburg, for allegedly driving to Chicago and Minnesota to loot and riot.
Early Sunday, around 12:40 a.m., Chicago police officers responded to crowds near 801 South Financial Place, authorities said. The officers saw four men running south, some carrying hammers, according to court filings.
Pegues looked at the police, adjusted the right side of his waistband and fled south on South Financial Place, according to the complaint. As officers chased him, he fell and a loaded 9 mm pistol dropped on the ground. Pegues pushed it under a car, where police recovered it, the complaint said.
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Around the same time, officers approached Peltzer sitting in a car in front of a bar at 16th Street and Michigan Avenue after noticing the glass front door of the business was shattered, according to the complaint. An officer saw Peltzer reach toward the front seat and the officers saw a loaded handgun lying there, authorities said.
Peltzer was convicted of aggravated robbery in Will County in 2014, according to the federal filings. He is from Lansing.
Pegues has a 2010 felony conviction for residential burglary in Cook County. On those charges, he was sentenced to 30 months’ probation. He is from Riverdale. —Sophie Sherry
11:50 a.m.: 6 Atlanta officers charged after dramatic video of arrest of college student from Chicago
Six Atlanta police officers have been charged after a dramatic video showed authorities pulling two young people, including a college student from Chicago, from a car during protests over the death of George Floyd, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced the charges during a news conference.
“I feel a little safer now that these monsters are off the street and no longer able to terrorize anyone else,” said Messiah Young, who was dragged from the vehicle along with his girlfriend, Taniyah Pilgrim, while they were caught in traffic.
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Young, 22, of Chicago, is a senior at Morehouse, where he’s studying business management. Pilgrim, 20 — from San Antonio, Texas — is a psychology major at Spelman College. Both schools are historically black colleges near downtown Atlanta. Read more here. —Associated Press
11 a.m.: Naperville cleans up downtown after peaceful marches gave way to violence
Naperville at 10 a.m. Tuesday was the idyllic picture that draws people to the city: kayakers paddling down the DuPage River, mothers pushing strollers along the Riverwalk, families riding their bicycles along the streets in downtown Naperville.I
t was a vastly different image from what the central business district looked 12 hours earlier, when unruly, raging groups of people broke windows, looted businesses and pelted police with rocks, bricks and water bottles.
Not willing to accept Monday night, Naperville volunteers showed up early Tuesday morning to clean up the damage done during hours of looting that occurred after peaceful protests occurred throughout the afternoon and evening. Read more here. — Erin Hegarty, Suzanne Baker
10:50 a.m.: Chicago will still loosen restrictions on Wednesday as planned, despite widespread looting and coronavirus concerns, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says
Despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city, Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced.
Lightfoot previously said restaurants, hotels and many more businesses would get to start opening June 3 with reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking. That timeline seemed imperiled in recent days as fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd led to nationwide protests and civil unrest, but Lightfoot said the city will move forward with its plan as scheduled.
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“I want to tell the city now after a lot of consultation and, yes, a lot of prayer, we will reopen tomorrow and take this important next step as planned,” Lightfoot said at a morning new conference.
The decision to reopen took some by surprise. Over the weekend, Lightfoot suggested that protests could delay a reopening. Read more here. — Gregory Pratt
9:35 a.m.: Police release video of fatal shooting at North Riverside mall
North Riverside Police have released video of a fatal shooting during Sunday’s looting outside the town’s mall.
The 12-second clip shows a gunman in pursuit of another man, who falls to the sidewalk behind Olive Garden Restaurant at North Riverside Park Mall. The gunman, with both hands gripping a weapon, fires multiple times at close range into the fallen man’s body. The gunman turns, runs and gets into a waiting car that then drives off. Read more here. —Todd Lighty
9:25 a.m.: 4 police officers shot in night of violence in St. Louis
Four police officers were shot in downtown St. Louis early Tuesday, as a day of peaceful protests turned into a violent and destructive night in the city.
Early in the day, hundreds of people gathered across the St. Louis region again Monday to protest the Memorial Day death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
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But tensions rose after the sun fell in downtown St. Louis.
Just after midnight, four officers, all men, were shot near 16th and Olive streets. All four are conscious, and their injuries are considered non-life-threatening. Read more here. —St. Louis Post-Dispatch
8 a.m.: Lombard man charged with attempted terrorism after police say he approached squad cars with Molotov cocktail
A Lombard man has been charged with attempted terrorism after police say he approached squad cars with a Molotov cocktail, lighters and a bat.
Christian Frazee, 25 of the 900 Block of South Lombard Avenue in the western suburb, has been ordered held on $1 million bond.
Police said Frazee was dressed in black, wearing a face covering and latex gloves, when he headed toward the Village of Lombard municipal campus around 12:30 a.m. Monday.
Frazee was seen walking toward squad cars and employee vehicles with a lighter and Molotov cocktail, according to a statement from DuPage County’s state’s attorney’s office. Frazee also had a butane torch, seven additional lighters and a bat.
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Frazee was charged with one count of possession of an incendiary device and one count of attempted terrorism, both felonies. —Sophie Sherry
7:45 a.m.: Two shot dead and 60 arrested in Cicero, town blames ‘outside agitators’
Police in riot gear patrolled the streets of Cicero Monday night after two people were shot dead and two others were wounded following a day of unrest that the western suburb blamed on “outside agitators.”
At least 60 people were arrested as the town deployed more than 100 officers in addition to more than 100 sheriff’s officers and state troopers.
“Outside agitators shot at least two people near 50th Street and Cermak Road,” Cicero spokesman Ray Hanania said. “But police apprehended the three suspects involved in the shooting. These were outside agitators who were driving through Cicero seeking to cause trouble.” Read more here. —Jessica Villagomez
6:15 a.m.: Chicago police and city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over response some found lacking
For some three hours on Sunday, the officers stood in a long row on Pulaski Road, a line of blue visible from blocks away.
They wore face shields, many flipped up to reveal expressionless faces. The lights of idling police vehicles flickered at their backs.
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And right in front of them on Madison Street, the West Garfield Park neighborhood’s main business artery, liquor stores, wig shops and dollar stores were suffering sustained looting, as people packed shopping carts and shoved large plastic storage bins full of items down the street. They carried liquor bottles and mannequin heads, crawling through broken windows to find items.
All the while, the officers did not intervene. Read more here. – Annie Sweeney, Gregory Pratt and Jeremy Gorner
6 a.m.: Sparked by death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests in Chicago fueled by decades of Police Department problems
George Floyd’s death at the hands of police 400 miles away catalyzed days of street protests in Chicago, but the demonstrations here are rooted in anger over decades of abuse of African Americans by the city’s officers, activists said.
The protests continued a tradition of Chicago activists crowding streets to complain about bias in enforcement, a lack of accountability for officers and police killing black people.
The motivating forces driving the protests also extend beyond policing to unemployment and an often-ineffective health care system at a moment when a coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately hurt minorities, said Aislinn Pulley, a co-founder of Black Lives Matter: Chicago. Read more here. —Dan Hinkel
5:50 a.m.: Federal authorities accuse Galesburg man of traveling to Chicago for protests with homemade bombs, charge him with inciting a riot
An Illinois man arrested in Chicago over the weekend had homemade bombs in his car and had been seen on videos posted on the internet participating in the looting and rioting in Minneapolis and Chicago, according to federal charges filed Monday.
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Matthew Rupert, 28, of Galesburg, was charged in U.S. District Court in Minnesota with inciting a riot and possession of an explosive device, court records show. Read more here. —Jason Meisner


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Joliet mayor says he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed and shoved a protester during George

Joliet mayor says he was acting in self-defense when he grabbed and shoved a protester during George Floyd-related unrest; skirmish caught on video

“ As Mayor of Joliet , I am calling on all of our citizens to stand together , ” O @ @ @ @ @ statement .
“ We all should defend the right to protest .
We all should @ @ @ @ @ engulfing our nation and state .
And we should all do our part to promote @ @ @ @ @ , our homes , our local businesses , our community and our mutual values as @ @ @

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk released a statement Tuesday saying he was acting in self-defense during a skirmish with a protester Sunday evening.
A video of the scuffle, which emerged Tuesday, shows a chaotic scene of police dispersing a crowd of people Sunday evening who had gathered in protest of the alleged murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.
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The video appears to show O’Dekirk grabbing a man by his collar and forcibly walking him toward a police car several yards away when a second person attacks the mayor from behind. O’Dekirk and the first man appear to fall to the ground and are quickly surrounded by several other officers.
It’s unclear from the video what prompted O’Dekirk, a former Joliet police officer, to place his hands on the first man.
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O’Dekirk said he acted in self-defense after he was “confronted by a rioter and then attacked,” adding later the unidentified man tried to shove him.
The video has sparked criticism from some within the community, including former Joliet city Councilman Warren Dorris, who also is also senior pastor at Prayer Tower Church of God in Christ in Joliet. Dorris, a former mayoral candidate, Tuesday questioned what authority the mayor had to take the action he took Sunday.
“They mayor has no police powers,” Dorris said. ”He probably should not have been there.”
Dorris also called for a review of the incident by Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow.
“The state’s attorney always like high-profile cases,” Dorris said. “He has the video. He needs to do something.”
Glasgow released a statement Tuesday evening saying his office has reviewed investigative reports and two videos of the incident, and that the office and the Joliet Police Department have requested that an independent third party review the matter “to ensure in all cases that the interests of justice and fairness are served.”
He said the Illinois State Police have been asked to investigate.
“As our Nation works to mend in the aftermath of George Floyd’s tragic murder, the State’s Attorney’s Office is committed to guaranteeing justice and absolute integrity in its review of this and all matters,” Glasgow’s statement said.
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O’Dekirk said he had been out Sunday and Monday with Joliet police as they patrolled the area to prevent violence. On Sunday, O’Dekirk said, he spoke with peaceful protesters but in the evening, violence erupted as other people who were looting and vandalizing took to the streets.
“As a former Joliet police officer and as the Mayor of Joliet sworn to uphold the laws of our state and city, I was on the front lines with our police officers urging anyone disturbing the peace or engaging in criminal activity to go home,” he said in his prepared statement released Tuesday.
He noted that looters responded by throwing bottles, rocks, fireworks, pieces of asphalt and punches at police officers who were trying to disperse the crowd.
“I was confronted by a rioter, then attacked,” O’Dekirk said. “Using standard police tactics to immobilize the attacker by separating him from the crowd and walking him backwards toward police officers, I was jumped from behind by a second attacker."
He said the man he had apprehended and the man who attacked from behind were not harmed, and “unlike many Joliet first responders protecting Joliet that night, I was lucky enough to walk away with just a few bruises.”
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The two men were arrested, according to the mayor’s statement. They were among 30 people Joliet police said were arrested during unrest between about 7 p.m. Sunday and 3:30 a.m. Monday. Most were men in their 20s from Joliet or nearby towns. Many of the charges involved criminal damage to property, obstructing or resisting police, disorderly conduct, burglary or assault.
O’Dekirk said he planned to be with police again Tuesday tonight, and the city’s curfew remains in effect from 8 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
“As Mayor of Joliet, I am calling on all of our citizens to stand together,” O’Dekirk said in his statement. “We all should defend the right to protest. We all should condemn the violence that is engulfing our nation and state. And we should all do our part to promote the defense of our families, our homes, our local businesses, our community and our mutual values as Americans.”
Later Tuesday, the city announced that its Tuesday evening City Council meeting was postponed until next week, citing “continued civil disturbance and potential acts of violence.”
A group of Joliet pastors, including Dorris, plan a news conference Wednesday to discuss the mayor’s action.
According to the city of Joliet website, O’Dekirk was a police officer for 10 years, apparently starting in the 1990s.
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Alicia Fabbre is a freelance reporter.


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State officials report 1,614 new known COVID-19 cases and 113 more

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: State officials report 1,614 new known COVID-19 cases and 113 more deaths as Chicago prepares to loosen restrictions

The city has been under a curfew since since the weekend , jointly issued by the mayor and Dr. Allison @ @ @ @ @ health commissioner .
Wednesday has been set as the date the city was expected to @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus reopening plan , but demonstrations and unrest over the weekend , and the potential @ @ @ @ @ to so-called superspreading events of COVID-19 infection may have thrown that plan into doubt .

We have lifted the paywall on this story. To support essential reporting, please consider becoming a subscriber .
Paca Kujtim of Arlington Heights self-administers a COVID-19 test in his car at the Arlington International Racecourse on March 31, 2021 in Arlington Heights. Kujtim was getting testing as a precaution for upcoming travel. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Chicago restaurants, hotels and many more businesses will reopen on Wednesday as part of the next phase of the city’s reopening plan, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Tuesday.
That timeline seemed imperiled in recent days as fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd led to nationwide protests and civil unrest, but Lightfoot said the city will move forward with its plan as scheduled.
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Meanwhile, state officials on Tuesday announced 1,614 new known cases of COVID-19 and 113 additional fatalities in the last 24 hours. The new figures come a day after the state reported its lowest single-day totals for new infections and deaths in nearly two months. The statewide daily death toll had dropped for five consecutive days before Tuesday’s new numbers were released.
[ When can Illinois move to phase 4? Here's where each region stands. ]
[ How will Illinois reopen? Three charts breaking down Pritzker’s plan ]
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
[ As the coronavirus spreads, the Tribune is tracking Illinois cases here ]
Here’s what’s happening Tuesday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
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7 p.m.: More positive results for antiviral drug remdesivir in battle against COVID-19
The antiviral drug remdesivir appears to be promoting recovery in patients who are moderately ill with COVID-19, according to new trial results.
The results, released by remdesivir maker Gilead Sciences but not yet peer reviewed and published, involved patients who had COVID-caused pneumonia without reduced oxygen levels in their blood. Those who received the intravenous drug were 65% more likely to improve than those provided with “standard” care, researchers found.
Improvement in that group would generally be determined by discharge from the hospital or a decision that no further treatment was needed for COVID-related conditions, said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease expert who is leading an arm of the trial for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System.
It’s the second set of encouraging results for the drug, which was originally designed to treat Ebola, albeit with limited success. Back in late April, a National Institutes of Health trial concluded that severely ill COVID-19 patients given remdesivir recovered 31% faster than patients given a placebo. Read more here. —Hal Dardick
6:02 p.m.: Nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites shut down due to George Floyd fallout will reopen
State officials announced Tuesday evening that nearly a dozen state-run COVID-19 testing sites that had been shut down due to the fallout from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis would reopen Wednesday and Thursday.
Testing sites in Harwood Heights, Aurora, Rockford, East St. Louis, Bloomington, South Holland, the Chatham community area, Champaign, Rolling Meadows and Peoria would reopen Wednesday. The Waukegan site will reopen Thursday in a new location to accommodate the return of vehicle emissions testing at the previous location.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Monday that some of the testing sites had to be shut down because local law enforcement weren’t able to provide protection for Illinois National Guard members staffing them during the unrest.
“It’s one of the unfortunate consequences of what’s happened is we can’t have Guardsman out there unprotected providing the testing,” Pritzker said. —Dan Petrella
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4:30 p.m.: Lightfoot to give televised address this evening
Amid ongoing civil unrest following the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will give a televised address this evening that’s largely expected to encourage the public to stay calm.
Lightfoot will speak at 6:30 p.m. from her ceremonial office, and “deliver a State of the City Address to Chicago’s residents from her ceremonial office to contextualize events that have happened in recent days,” her office said. You can watch Lightfoot’s address live here.
The mayor has spent the past several days pleading for peace as protesters marched and traveling mobs of citizens pillaged stores in the neighborhoods. The city has blocked off downtown roads to keep non-residents or workers out – a decision that’s been criticized as prioritizing the Loop over neighborhoods, though Lightfoot defended the decision by saying it allowed officials to put police in neighborhoods.
The mayor’s address also comes ahead of Chicago entering the next phase of the city’s reopening plan on Wednesday. —Gregory Pratt
3:43 p.m.: Children’s museum drastically reduces staff
Chicago Children’s Museum has laid off almost 80 percent of its employees “in the face of the dimming prospect of a fast recovery from the pandemic,” the Navy Pier institution said Tuesday in a statement.
The museum’s board approved the cuts Monday and workers were notified the same day.
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The CCM move, which also furloughs 6 employees and leaves only 20 to prepare for an indeterminate reopening date, is the latest in a spate of job cuts at area museums.
Last week, the Museum of Science and Industry and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum fired or furloughed scores of workers because of the COVID-19 health crisis that has seen the institutions closed since mid-March.
Before that, Adler Planetarium cut a significant number of employees from its payroll.
“While this is a painful time for all of us, these difficult decisions will best position Chicago Children’s Museum for the future health and well-being of the institution, our donors, members, and community stakeholders,” Chicago Children’s Museum CEO and President Jennifer Farrington said in the statement. “We have taken significant steps to reduce expenses, secure additional financing, and other actions to continue our work outside of the museum until it is safe to reopen in our Navy Pier physical space.” —Steve Johnson
2:45 p.m. (updated at 4:15 p.m.): Gov. J.B. Pritzker signs ‘cocktails to go’ into law
Not yet ready to leave home but craving a libation from your favorite bar? Now you can get your mixed drinks delivered.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law a new “cocktails to go” measure Tuesday that allows bars and restaurants with liquor licenses to sell adult beverages for delivery and pickup. The measure is aimed at helping bars and restaurants that for more than two months were ordered shut down to dine-in service to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
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The city of Chicago would need to make a change to its municipal code to allow for the new measure to take effect there, and city officials have said they are working on amending the code to allow for cocktails to go.
The legislation, which earned the cheeky moniker “Booznibus” during the Illinois General Assembly’s special pandemic-driven session last month, takes effect immediately.
Under the new law, bars and restaurants can offer delivery and pickup of cocktails in sealed and labeled containers with tamper-proof seals or caps. The drinks cannot be delivered via third-party delivery services such as DoorDash, Grubhub or Postmates.
The law also delays late fees and license fees for liquor licenses, establishes automatic license renewal approval and extensions for license holders who have seen their business suspended as a result of COVID-19-related closure orders. Read more here. —Jamie Munks
2:35 p.m.: Officials report 1,614 new known COVID-19 cases and 113 more deaths
Illinois officials on Tuesday announced 1,614 new known cases of COVID-19 and 113 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 122,848 and the death toll to 5,525 statewide since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 16,431 new tests in the last 24 hours.
2:20 p.m.: North Shore beaches reopen with social distancing guidelines and empty waters
At Glencoe Beach, where the required season passes swiftly sold out last month, a lone sailboat bobbed in a turquoise swath of Lake Michigan Saturday afternoon.
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Only a few dozen visitors, primarily young families, soaked up the sunshine on the nearly empty shoreline.
While a few youngsters dipped their toes in the icy water lapping the North Shore beach, swimming is currently verboten, and officials have said even if the prohibition is lifted later this summer, it will be “swim at your own risk” with no lifeguards on duty.
“This is absolutely joyless ... there’s only a handful of families and there’s no laughter from the children,” said Northbrook resident Marian Cross, who said she and her family have been season pass holders at the beach for more than 20 years.
Gesturing toward a clutch of masked visitors strolling on the beach’s lookout, Cross said, “This is all so sad.”
“The experience this year is a dismal one, but I’m still glad it’s open, and I appreciate that the park district made that decision,” Cross added.
Also glad to see the beach open was Glencoe resident Danny Kogan, 21, a student at Northwestern University, who said he enjoyed spending a few hours on the beach Saturday afternoon, especially since his social life has been limited in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“My grandmother lives with us, and she’s 80, so I understand why my mom is being so strict about me hanging out with friends,” said Kogan, who rode his bike to the beach.
The Glencoe Park District says the season pass requirement is aimed at limiting visitors to avoid overcrowding and help ensure social distancing. Kogan noted the upside and downside.
“The season pass rule makes it rough when I have friends in town who want to come to the beach, but there’s usually no parking, even for residents most summers, when the beach is really crowded,” Kogan said.
Indeed, the mixed reviews from residents are accompanied by a wide range of approaches North Shore suburbs are embracing this summer when it comes to their public beaches.
While North Shore towns are now allowing socially distant crowds to gather, officials tasked with overseeing the shoreline stretching from Lake Forest to Evanston agree that a day at the beach this summer will be far from normal. Read more here. —Karen Ann Cullotta
A group of Northwestern University students play a game of Spike Ball at Clark Street Beach in Evanston as the city reopens their beaches May 29, 2020. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)
11:30 a.m.: A new kind of service charge as more Chicago businesses reopen Wednesday: fees to offset costs for COVID-19 protection
A long-awaited return to the dentist or hair salon may come with an unwelcome surprise — and it’s not a cavity or more gray hairs to cover than the last visit.
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COVID-19 surcharges are popping up on bills for those services and on bills at other long-shuttered businesses, including restaurants, as the economy reopens from stay-at-home orders that were put in place to slow the rate of infection. On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the city will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday.
The coronavirus pandemic has created a juggling act for businesses, which look to offset costly new safety measures such as masks, face shields and gloves without alienating customers. Read more here. —Ryan Ori
10:50 a.m.: Chicago will still loosen restrictions on Wednesday as planned, despite widespread looting and coronavirus concerns, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says
Despite widespread looting and heightened public health concerns brought on by thousands of people protesting in tight groups across the city, Chicago will move ahead with looser coronavirus restrictions as planned on Wednesday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced.
Lightfoot previously said restaurants, hotels and many more businesses would get to start opening June 3 with reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking. That timeline seemed imperiled in recent days as fallout from the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd led to nationwide protests and civil unrest, but Lightfoot said the city will move forward with its plan as scheduled.
“I want to tell the city now after a lot of consultation and, yes, a lot of prayer, we will reopen tomorrow and take this important next step as planned,” Lightfoot said at a morning new conference.
The decision to reopen took some by surprise. Over the weekend, Lightfoot suggested that protests could delay a reopening. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt
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6:45 a.m. Lightfoot to hold news conference with police, health officials
Mayor Lori Lightfoot was scheduled to hold a news conference Tuesday morning with city health and police officials, to update the public on the situation in Chicago.
The city has been under a curfew since since the weekend, jointly issued by the mayor and Dr. Allison Arwady, Chicago’s health commissioner. Wednesday has been set as the date the city was expected to begin phase 3 of its coronavirus reopening plan, but demonstrations and unrest over the weekend, and the potential for large crowds to lead to so-called superspreading events of COVID-19 infection may have thrown that plan into doubt.
Watch the news conference here at 10:30 a.m. —Chicago Tribune staff
6:30 a.m. State coronavirus test sites remain closed Tuesday
The state’s community coronavirus testing sites in Illinois, including in Chatham, Harwood Heights, South Holland, Rolling Meadows, Waukegan, Aurora and Rockford, as well as in other parts of the state, will remain closed Tuesday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. State officials didn’t release information about when the sites might reopen; they were closed Monday in the aftermath of unrest following protests over the death of George Floyd. —Chicago Tribune staff


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--More positive results for antiviral drug remdesivir in battle against COVID-19

The only other drug to receive emergency use authorization from the FDA for treating COVID-19 is hydroxychloroquine .
But recent @ @ @ @ @ , which has been touted by President Donald Trump , have not been encouraging and @ @ @ @ @ more harm than good .
That has led European countries to move toward halting the @ @ @ @ @ COVID-19 .

Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease physician at Stroger Hospital, poses for a portrait on May 4, 2020, outside of Cook County Health in Chicago. Huhn headed up Stroger's participation in a remdesivir trial run by Gilead Sciences. (Raquel Zaldivar / Chicago Tribune)
The antiviral drug remdesivir appears to be promoting recovery in patients who are moderately ill with COVID-19, according to new trial results.
The results, released by remdesivir maker Gilead Sciences but not yet peer reviewed and published, involved patients who had COVID-caused pneumonia without reduced oxygen levels in their blood. Those who received the intravenous drug were 65% more likely to improve than those provided with “standard” care, researchers found.
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Improvement in that group would generally be determined by discharge from the hospital or a decision that no further treatment was needed for COVID-related conditions, said Dr. Gregory Huhn, an infectious disease expert who is leading an arm of the trial for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System.
It’s the second set of encouraging results for the drug, which was originally designed to treat Ebola, albeit with limited success. Back in late April, a National Institutes of Health trial concluded that severely ill COVID-19 patients given remdesivir recovered 31% faster than patients given a placebo.
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That trial, plus an earlier Gilead study that found five-day treatments were as effective as 10-day treatments, led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow emergency use of the drug in severely ill patients, or those whose blood oxygen level has dropped below 95% or otherwise require supplemental oxygen.
The drug is still considered experimental and has not been approved for general use. Further studies by the Institutes of Health and medical facilities working with Gilead continue to evaluate the drug, and those trials will figure into the FDA’s ultimate decision.
“Now with solid evidence of clinical improvement for both severe illness and moderate illness ... I would believe that these data would move the FDA for licensure consideration,” Huhn said.
The recent finding that improvements were statistically significant in patients who got the drug for five days — and those who received it for 10 days did no better than the five-day group — was considered a positive development.
That’s because remdesivir can be complicated and expensive to make, so being able to treat patients with a five-day supply rather than the amount required for 10 days means the available drug supplies could go twice as far. The current stockpile was donated by Gilead to the federal government, which is distributing the drug to hospitals based on determinations of need.
Gilead also is exploring whether it can produce an inhalable form of the drug, which would allow the medication to be administered outside hospital settings. An inhalable version also could be better at targeting SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, because it would quickly hit nasal passages where the virus typically gets its toehold.
The only other drug to receive emergency use authorization from the FDA for treating COVID-19 is hydroxychloroquine. But recent studies on that particular medicine, which has been touted by President Donald Trump, have not been encouraging and suggest the drug can do more harm than good. That has led European countries to move toward halting the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19.
hdardick@chicagotribune.com