chicagotribune--2020-06-02--Chicago police and city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over resp

Chicago police and city leaders defend handling of protests and looting as questions swirl over response some found lacking

It was scenes like this playing out across the city that opened the Chicago Police Department and city leaders up @ @ @ @ @ they handled demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that gave way to @ @ @ @ @ over the decision to largely seal off downtown , effectively forcing some of the protest @ @ @ @ @ and over what appeared at times to be an outnumbered police department ’ s choice @ @ @ @ @ began .

Annie Sweeney, Gregory Pratt, Jeremy Gorner

Police officers guarding the Trump International Hotel & Tower hold back protesters in the Loop on May 30, 2020, during a rally and march to remember the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
For 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.
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It was scenes like this playing out across the city that opened the Chicago Police Department and city leaders up to criticism Monday over how they handled demonstrations over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that gave way to looting here. Questions came over the decision to largely seal off downtown, effectively forcing some of the protest action into outlying neighborhoods, and over what appeared at times to be an outnumbered police department’s choice to stand back as looting began.
Chicago police arrive at the City Sports store on 71st Street in the South Shore neighborhood on Monday, June 1, 2020, after dozens of looters stole clothing and shoes. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)
Tribune reporters observed officers who had been deployed to hot spots to contain a situation keep their posts without engaging looters. Some aldermen openly questioned CPD’s tactics and demanded answers from Mayor Lori Lightfoot, saying there wasn’t enough of an aggressive response to quell disturbances.
Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, wrote in a letter to Lightfoot that there were too few police to deal with looting in his ward. Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, whose ward includes parts of the South Loop and Bronzeville, criticized the city’s use of police resources on social media.
“Why do we need over 100 police to enforce a peaceful protest in Old Town when mayhem and lawlessness runs rampant in Bronzeville and Washington Park?” Dowell wrote on Facebook. “Why do we need 40 officers in Hyde Park at 53rd and Lake Park to confront peaceful protesters? Not one police in the mall at 55th and the Dan Ryan while people are robbing every store? (I’m just saying) ... I’m angry and disgusted.”
Lightfoot defended the department’s response and deployments, saying police resources were overwhelmed with 65,000 calls in a 24-hour period, 50,000 more than a typical day.
“The fact is, the violence that we saw and the looting we saw spread like a wildfire,” Lightfoot said, also noting that officers were responding to a spike in shootings. Police made nearly 700 arrests related to the unrest.
“That’s not standing by,” Lightfoot said at a morning news conference.
A Chicago police officer yells at people to leave after they entered a damaged City Sports store on 71st Street in the South Shore neighborhood on Monday, June 1, 2020. Police made no arrests at the time. (Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune)
Lightfoot faced a series of questions about whether her police did enough to stop looters from splintering out of peaceful demonstrations to break store windows, steal merchandise and set some buildings ablaze. There was damage not only in neighborhoods that often struggle with crime, but in typically safe zones like the Milwaukee Avenue corridor from Wicker Park to Logan Square.
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But whatever the reason for the policing choices many saw on the streets, including a lack of personnel, multiple experts told the Tribune that the situation may well have demanded a more hands-off approach.
Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, said “the preeminent goal is to protect life,” which is more important than protecting property.
“Once that train gets a rolling, it’s hard to stop,” Alpert said. “At some point, it’s better that people steal things and property gets damaged than people get killed. ... I don’t like the idea of doing absolutely nothing. But if the situation’s already gotten out of hand they’re too many people for the police to really stop without putting people’s lives at risk, then that’s a decision they’ve got to make.”
Different from past protests
To be sure, the demonstrations in Chicago — and in the suburbs — that gave way to looting sometimes did so in a flash.
Social media messaging relays touched off some problems, police said, while other looters may have sensed opportunity and acted out in an instant. Police did not always have hours to plan for what was unfolding and get an overwhelming force in place to keep control.
At the morning news conference, Chicago police Superintendent David Brown said it might have looked “to the untrained eye” as though officers were just standing by and watching as businesses were looted, but in reality, some people were looting in one area as a distraction to try to flank officers and hit their real target.
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As an example, Brown said protesters descended on police headquarters Sunday and went after a nearby electronics store in an effort to lead officers away and leave their headquarters unprotected. Instead, he said, they sent a smaller contingent so they could continue monitoring headquarters.
During the weekend, a police spokesman said officer choices on the ground include weighing whether they have enough backup if they choose to intervene in a particular situation, but "our strategy continues to focus on arresting those who engage in criminal activity.”
Experts said the tactics the Police Department had honed during previous large-scale demonstrations may not have provided much guidance this time around.
The weekend’s mayhem did not resemble demonstrations during the 2012 NATO summit in Chicago, for example, or even the 2015 protests over the police shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald by white Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke.
After the NATO summit, the Police Department drew mostly favorable reviews for its organization and flexibility in keeping demonstrations from damaging property and overrunning the city’s marquee thoroughfares. But the NATO demonstrations, and others like them, presented challenges very different from this weekend’s unrest.
During the NATO demonstrations, police mustered overwhelming personnel resources as they blocked off some routes to steer marches along routes that police were in position to protect from property damage.
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But this weekend, there was no permitted march or organized demonstration to provide a focus for resources. Instead, there were several spontaneous demonstrations in different locations at once — some downtown, others across the city’s neighborhoods.
Protesters confront police in front of the 1st District police station at 17th and State streets as they march from the Harold Washington Cultural Center to Chicago City Hall on Monday, June 1, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
And because demonstrations were a response to events developing across the country, Chicago’s public safety infrastructure had very little time to anticipate and plan a response.
Over the weekend, police used some of the tactics employed in 2012, such as lining up bicycles as portable barricades to keep protesters hemmed in, and keeping most officers in their blue patrol uniforms instead of the more menacing military-style tactical gear.
But it was clear time after time this weekend that the department did not have enough officers in place to match the large, fast-moving crowds of demonstrators. Bicycle barricades were quickly breached in some cases.
Some store owners said they realized the speed at which looters gathered was a factor.
Walid Mouhammad, owner of African Food & Liquor at Madison Street and Keeler Avenue in West Garfield Park, said that although his store was destroyed, he does not blame police, saying they were caught off guard.
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“I know how hard they work,” he said.
Mouhammad, who has not had the heart to go look at his store, has only seen cellphone pictures of the devastation.
“We got destroyed,” he said, adding that he is unsure what he will do next.
Questions about use of resources
While Lightfoot insisted Monday that the department was not caught flat-footed, some police sources said they were puzzled by the decision Saturday afternoon to let officers on the department’s second watch shift leave and go home just as the demonstrations were heating up.
Sources with knowledge of the situation who were not authorized to speak to the media told the Tribune some were confused by a slow decision to cancel all regular days off, something that probably should have happened no later than Friday, the sources said.
Sources also told the Tribune that as the situation was developing, it felt as if a firm plan of action had not been communicated down through the ranks, creating uncertainty among cops responding in the neighborhoods.
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The department issued a directive on how to carry out mass arrests, some noted, but it was on Sunday morning, another indication to rank-and-file officers that decision-making was many hours behind the curve of unfolding events.
By then the department was figuring out in real time what to do about looting at strip malls and neighborhood business strips from West Garfield Park to South Chicago.
Some see reluctance to use force
Policing experts also noted that a reluctance by police to intervene — for fear that things would escalate — reflects the policing crisis the country is currently facing: a history of overusing force and even deploying abusive tactics to combat crime.
In other words, the response to the Floyd protest required a tactical approach that recognized the use of force by the police was part of what had brought many demonstrators to the streets in the first place.
“This is where the lines cross into almost a military operation because you have to have that kind of organization and that kind of determination...,” said Adam Bercovici, a security consultant and a former Los Angeles Police Department lieutenant. “And I think there’s a reluctance to do that right now because of the state of race in this country.”
The Chicago Police Department has been forced in recent years to confront its own difficult history. The fallout from the McDonald shooting raised serious questions about training, and the department’s history of abuse and misconduct against black citizens.
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Chicago has been under a federal court order to reform the department after a Justice Department finding in 2017 that CPD had for years struggled with the use of excessive force. Reform efforts have only slowed recently as the city has dealt with the COVID-19 crisis.
Using force is overwhelmingly what police are trained to do, some said.
“Police are basically taught how to use force. That is why they carry mace and clubs and guns,” said Yale University law professor Tom Tyler, who studies the legitimacy of the police in the community.
“They are taught to compel people to do things with a gradation of force that can get out of control," Tyler said, "and that is when you have things like what happened in Minnesota.”
Chicago Tribune reporter David Heinzmann contributed.
asweeney@chicagotribune.com
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gpratt@chicagotribune.com
jgorner@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--How the weekend unfolded: Timeline of Chicago protests, looting and unrest

Mayor Lightfoot on looters from the previous night : `` What you have done is to dishonor yourself , your @ @ @ @ @ ...
I know you can do better than what I saw last night and I @ @ @ @ @ find it in your heart to find something better for yourselves and your lives .
@

Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 89 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)
Tense protests over the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25 turned into a weekend of violent unrest downtown in the Loop and along Michigan Avenue.
Saturday night saw damage and looting at numerous stores along the Magnificent Mile. Police and city vehicles were damaged and burned. Mayor Lori Lightfoot imposed a curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in response.
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Here is how some of the events unfolded.
5:46 p.m., Friday
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Michigan Avenue: Protesters march down the south lanes.
I've covered a lot of protests, but this is a first. Protesters are marching AGAINST traffic heading south on Michigan Avenue. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/NxAssTtc4L — Javonte Anderson (@JavonteA) May 29, 2020
6:17 p.m., Friday
Congress Parkway: People march toward the Eisenhower Expressway.
Things have intensified. The crowd has marched on the highway. Chicago Police has created a barricade to prevent the group from marching further. pic.twitter.com/Gn6eA96u3s — Javonte Anderson (@JavonteA) May 29, 2020
Overnight, Friday and Saturday
"Windows broken in the loop including jewelry stores, a Champs Sports store and Target on State Street."
7:25 a.m., Saturday
Windy City Diamonds: Windows broken overnight Friday
Workers overnight clean up broken glass outside a Loop jewelry store after an overnight demonstration intensified. Marchers were protesting the death of #GeorgeFloyd. pic.twitter.com/LTMqM7Y0z4 — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 30, 2020
9:45 a.m., Saturday
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"Washington Park: Mayor Lori Lightfoot helps distribute supplies to seniors with My Block, My Hood, My City."
HELPING OUR SENIORS: Mayor Lightfoot joins CPD Superintendent Brown at My Block, My Hood, My City's event to distribute Safety Kits to senior residents #COVID19 https://t.co/dKdKlc3PAO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) May 30, 2020
1:38 p.m., Saturday
Federal Plaza: Crowd gathers.
A crowd has started gathering at Federal Plaza ahead of 2 pm protest. Cars will protest signs lining Dearborn and honking horns. pic.twitter.com/Mjf9vP0XzW — Madeline Buckley is on furlough (@Mabuckley88) May 30, 2020
2:19 p.m., Saturday
Dearborn Street: People march.
Chants of “I can’t breathe” and “Black Lives Matter” as the crowd gets on the move in Dearborn, weaving through the cars that are idling. pic.twitter.com/7bNIyGzRoV — Madeline Buckley is on furlough (@Mabuckley88) May 30, 2020
2:24 p.m., Saturday
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Federal Plaza: Protest of people and cars.
Federal Plaza, Chicago
I really hope this ends okay. pic.twitter.com/3dPpeYOS3m — john j. kim (@jkimpictures) May 30, 2020
3:06 p.m., Saturday
Dearborn and Washington streets: Fire set to an American flag.
A guy just set a flag on fire. It burned out quickly. pic.twitter.com/S1RrIjrBZB — Madeline Buckley is on furlough (@Mabuckley88) May 30, 2020
3:15 p.m., Saturday
Dearborn and Madison streets: Person stands atop a CTA No. 151 bus.
Bus is a 151 that looks like it is occupied by the driver but otherwise appears without passengers. pic.twitter.com/yVaww1vprq — Madeline Buckley is on furlough (@Mabuckley88) May 30, 2020
3:46 p.m., Saturday
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Lake Shore and Balbo drives: Shut down in both directions.
NotifyChicago: Lake Shore Dr at Balbo is shut down in both directions due to protest activity. Seek alternate route. Tune to local media for more information. — Chicago OEMC (@ChicagoOEMC) May 30, 2020
4:35 p.m., Saturday
Trump Tower: Crowds gather.
Protesters pushed further from Trump hotel entrance.
Chicago pic.twitter.com/X1OIByiLG4 — john j. kim (@jkimpictures) May 30, 2020
5:16 p.m., Saturday
Trump Tower: Police push protesters back.
Police tactics, protest tactics
Trump Hotel, Chicago pic.twitter.com/fuevQnAOGd — john j. kim (@jkimpictures) May 30, 2020
5:17 p.m., Saturday
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Lake Shore Drive near Division Street: Protesters block Lake Shore Drive.
Protesters have taken over outer Lake Shore Drive. Traffic going south is at a standstill at Division Street. pic.twitter.com/l8gGFNeVGB — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 30, 2020
5:28 p.m., Saturday
Lake Shore Drive and Division: Crowds gather.
Protesters now are standing at outer Lake Shore Drive facing south at Division. Five marked CPD police vehicles are a little further down in the southbound lanes on standby. pic.twitter.com/kU4gG1SmuC — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 30, 2020
6:27 p.m., Saturday
Wabash Avenue Bridge: Chicago police superintendent David Brown walks with officers.
Happening now: Superintendent David Brown is out with his officers at the downtown protest. #CPDMediaCar pic.twitter.com/fMv9aHej02 — Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) May 30, 2020
7:01 p.m., Saturday
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Kinzie and Rush streets: Police vehicle on fire.
Chicago police vehicle was on fire here — Kinzie and Rush streets. Firefighters came and put it out. pic.twitter.com/4VxjVu49wc — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 31, 2020
7:29 p.m., Saturday
Hubbard and State streets: People throw things at officers.
Protesters just threw bottles and rocks at the police at Hubbard and State. pic.twitter.com/CSSKFfVf7X — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 31, 2020
7:40 p.m., Saturday
Hubbard and Dearbon streets: Police car turned over.
Squad car just got tipped over at Hubbard and Dearborn. pic.twitter.com/738bIgqYPF — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 31, 2020
7:42 p.m., Saturday
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Ohio and Rush streets: Police car burned.
7:54 p.m., Saturday
Hubbard and Dearborn streets: Protester on horseback.
Now there’s a guy on horseback at Dearborn and Hubbard. pic.twitter.com/IHy9BfXrQJ — Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) May 31, 2020
7:57 p.m., Saturday
Nieman Marcus department store on Michigan Avenue: Apparent looting.
People been going in and out for at least 15 mins, some people standing around told me. pic.twitter.com/hRUp8XG3Ix — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
8:04 p.m., Saturday
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Nike store on Michigan Avenu: Apparent looting.
One guy jumped off this Divvy bike and ran inside. He just came out with a ton of clothes in hand. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/HHoYUE5IyU — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
8:09 p.m., Saturday
Rolex store on Michigan Avenue: Broken windows.
People broke into the Rolex store now. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/T2jzByZ7LJ — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
8:16 p.m., Saturday
"Chicago Office of Emergency Management headquarters: Mayor Lightfoot says the day's demonstration had ""evolved into criminal conduct"" as she imposed a curfew on the city from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. until further notice."
UPDATE: Mayor Lightfoot joins CPD and OEMC to provide an update on today’s protests. https://t.co/YUXerlDUZZ — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) May 31, 2020
8:39 p.m., Saturday
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Wacker Drive at State Street: Protesters chant, ”No justice, no peace.”
8:40 p.m., Saturday
Timberland store on Michigan Avenue: Apparent looting.
The Timberland store has also been stripped clean for the most part, except for this lone mannequin outside. One guy ran in there right after I took a picture and ran out with a big box. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/AeZN6iN12P — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
8:42 p.m., Saturday
Burberry store on Michigan Avenue: Broken windows.
“George Floyd” written outside of the Burberry store, which was also broken into. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/nMP2EI7kUI — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
9:03 p.m., Saturday
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T-Mobile store on Michigan Avenue: Apparent looting.
Just watched someone take a 2 by 4 and destroy the glass of the T-Mobile store. A handful of cops are just standing and watching at the corner of Michigan and Superior. There’s only six of them so I imagine they feel a little helpless. #Chicago — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
9:14 p.m., Saturday
Walgreens at State and Randolph streets: Windows broken.
The Walgreens at state/Randolph pic.twitter.com/vFOXxhMIbT — Madeline Buckley is on furlough (@Mabuckley88) May 31, 2020
9:28 p.m., Saturday
Zara clothing store on Michigan Avenue: Apparent looting.
Close up of the Zara damage. A guy standing outside with a bulldog on a leash told a girl to take a silver suitcase “it’s worth at least $500,” he said. #Chicago pic.twitter.com/aZmBZzvfb6 — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
9:29 p.m., Saturday
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Michigan Avenue and Superior Street: Report of shots fired.
I heard these shots. Six of them — three and three. #Chicago https://t.co/fjzPAAlhHT — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
9:37 p.m., Saturday
Michigan Avenue and Ontario Street: Police block the intersection.
9:42 p.m., Saturday
Ohio and State streets: Call of two people shot Saturday.
I’m over here at Ohio/State where there was a call of two people shot. #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/dtozX14wKz — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) May 31, 2020
10:04 p.m., Saturday
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CVS store on South Wabash Avenue: Cameras taken from Chicago Tribune photographer.
12:31 a.m., Sunday
Two male victims shot on 50 block of West Jackson Boulevard.
1:29 a.m., Sunday
A 19-year-old man was shot multiple times on the 200 block of North Michigan Avenue.
3 a.m., Sunday
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A 26-year-old man was killed at the 100 block of West Hubbard Street.
6:30 a.m., Sunday
Protesters gather outside Mayor Lightfoot's house
“Wake up, Lori, wake up” Demonstrators rally outside Mayor Lightfoot’s house as Chicago’s overnight curfew ends at 6 am pic.twitter.com/RNOyk4lfLc — Brian Cassella (@briancassella) May 31, 2020
8:30 a.m., Sunday
Volunteers clean up in Loop.
8:30am Sunday: Volunteers along Michigan Avenue are out clearing broken glass pic.twitter.com/ppVCVRkulP — Brian Cassella (@briancassella) May 31, 2020
9:19 a.m., Sunday
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Two men were shot at 100 block of East Oak Street, 35-year-old and a 34-year-old.
9:51 a.m., Sunday
Outside The Langham hotel: Cleanup begins.
Crews cleaning graffiti outside the Langham hotel, bridges still up from last night. pic.twitter.com/5N0rwV4tdN — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) May 31, 2020
10:42 a.m., Sunday
Macy's on State Street: Windows boarded up.
Crews boarding up Macy’s on State St. pic.twitter.com/RLA2XGgpiB — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) May 31, 2020
10:55 a.m., Sunday
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Palmer House: City workers clean exterior.
We need to look out for one another and stand united. Thank you to our City employees and the many others working around the clock to help our city heal during this time. pic.twitter.com/hCBDlrWidy — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) May 31, 2020
11:15 a.m., Sunday
Mayor Lightfoot on looters from the previous night: "What you have done is to dishonor yourself, your family and your city. ... I know you can do better than what I saw last night and I pray to God that you find it in your heart to find something better for yourselves and your lives."
BREAKING: Mayor Lightfoot joins Supt. Brown, city officials, and community leaders to provide an update regarding last night's protests. https://t.co/Fiqe2x2vDf — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) May 31, 2020
11:50 a.m., Sunday
Gov. Pritzker: On activation of the Illinois National Guard in Chicago.
At the request of @chicagosmayor Lori Lightfoot, I am activating the Illinois National Guard to support the City of Chicago in protecting our communities and keeping people safe.
My full statement: pic.twitter.com/kmQMIz3uQM — Governor JB Pritzker (@GovPritzker) May 31, 2020
1:50 p.m., Sunday
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State and Lake streets: Chicago police report four people were arrested for assaulting an officer.
Our #ChicagoPolice officers are working tirelessly to keep our city safe. Four offenders were placed in custody earlier today after assaulting a Chicago Police officer at State and Lake. The officers also recovered stolen goods from the offenders' vehicle. pic.twitter.com/HNwSVYB88X — Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) May 31, 2020
2:39 p.m., Sunday
King Drive and 35th Street: Peaceful march.
Peaceful march down 35th and King Drive in Chicago. pic.twitter.com/fIt9jl2HuA — DeAntae Prince (@DeAntae) May 31, 2020
4:15 p.m., Sunday
Michigan Avenue and 35th Street: People hold up signs and chant outside Chicago police headquarters.
Over 40 protesters outside police headquarters pic.twitter.com/PsHv8xrNXG — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) May 31, 2020
4:23 p.m., Sunday
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Daley Plaza: People chant, "Say his name -- George Floyd," while kneeling.
4:48 p.m., Sunday
Guaranteed Rate Field: Illinois National Guard vehicles parked outside the White Sox's ballpark.
The scene at Sox park pic.twitter.com/8s6bqkaX4s — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) May 31, 2020
4:59 p.m., Sunday
Marshfield Avenue and 47th Street: People guard businesses and street vendors.
Young community activists are guarding small businesses in Back of The Yards, others are checking on street vendors in LV pic.twitter.com/jH7o76TAdP — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) May 31, 2020
5:12 p.m., Sunday
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47th and Halsted streets: City Sports Outlet looted.
On 47th and Halsted, mad dash into City Sports Outlet. People running into the store and emerging with handfuls of clothing. pic.twitter.com/Vcu2AtG04u — Jessica Villagomez (@JessicaVillag) May 31, 2020
5:48 p.m., Sunday
87th Street Center: Looted.
The Chatham mall on 87th is badly looted with shopping carts strewn all over the Jewel and Home Depot. Dozens of officers searching the area. And theyre using carts to block entrance to the lots. pic.twitter.com/IS0XNTKNrx — Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 31, 2020
6:36 p.m., Sunday
Daley Plaza: Fist bumps exchanged.
Jamel Franklin fist bumps after speaking with a Chicago police lieutenant during a protest Sunday. Franklin: "There is something inherently wrong with the whole system. Because they have a target on their back and so do I,” said Franklin. "Nobody wants to see Chicago burn down." pic.twitter.com/35jdZJlAQi — Brian Cassella (@briancassella) May 31, 2020
6:38 p.m., Sunday
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Commercial Avenue and 89th Street: Stores looted.
Looting scenes in South Chicago, a working class neighborhood I still have family in. Sad. pic.twitter.com/Cl5xYWCYs6 — Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 31, 2020
6:46 p.m., Sunday
Karlov Avenue and Madison Street: Chicago police and fire respond to a fire.
Police engage residents while providing security for firefighters near Karlov and Maddison. pic.twitter.com/p6ASeKo6LK — armando l sanchez (@mandophotos) May 31, 2020
6:56 p.m., Sunday
Stoney Island Avenue and 95th Street: Hair supply store looted.
Looters outside a beauty salon at 95th and Stony Island in Chicago filled a U-Haul with weave and hair supplies. With @JessicaVillag pic.twitter.com/I827hQKhAP — Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) May 31, 2020
7:52 p.m., Sunday
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Kedzie Avenue and Cermak Road: Car on fire.
A scene on the corner of Cermak Rd and Kenzie Av. pic.twitter.com/3dvmFsbDsP — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 1, 2020
9:26 p.m., Sunday
Wells Street and North Avenue: Chicago police tell people to go home.
“This is the Chicago Police Department. You are in violation of the curfew law.” #Chicago North/Wells pic.twitter.com/QeiLxdPZbG — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) June 1, 2020
1:13 a.m., Monday
Ashland and Milwaukee avenues: Looting with police on the scene.
1:45 a.m., Monday
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Ashland Ashalnd and 18th Street: People and police stand watch.
It’s almost 2 am and Pilsen residents are out here guarding 18th st. pic.twitter.com/cssqjSutCx — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 1, 2020
6:05 a.m., Monday
Summary of the night's events.
Violence last night was different than that of the day before. Previously, everything and everyone was focused on downtown and the high-end stores. Now that downtown was cutoff, people went to neighborhood stores all throughout the city: North, South and West. #Chicago — Paige Fry (@paigexfry) June 1, 2020
6:36 a.m., Monday
Jeffery Blvd. and 95th Street: Dollar Tree on fire.
10 a.m., Monday
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Halsted Street and North Avenue: Jewelry store looted overnight.
Looters hit a jewelry store in Lincoln Park at Halsted and North pic.twitter.com/fYLIVah1R6 — Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) June 1, 2020
12:08 p.m., Monday
Around the city: Cleanup efforts begin.
Gage Park youth helping to clean the streets from the looting damages. pic.twitter.com/LBol5nJlpL — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 1, 2020
1 p.m., Monday
California Avenue and 55th Street: People walk through Gage Park cleaning up stores despite the rain.
Gage Park youth helping to clean the streets from the looting damages. pic.twitter.com/LBol5nJlpL — Laura N. Rodríguez Presa (@LAURA_N_ROD) June 1, 2020
3:15 p.m., Monday
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Cottage Grove Avenue and 47th Street: Volunteers clean sidewalks.
You can’t tell people how to process pain, how to react when they’re hurting. We got outside this morning on 47th and Cottage Grove in Chicago and tried to be part of the solution. pic.twitter.com/98JjHVKxtT — DeAntae Prince (@DeAntae) June 1, 2020
3:38 p.m., Monday
Jewel-Osco at Stony Island Avenue and 75th Street: Visited by Mayor Lightfoot.
Grocery stores like the Jewel in South Shore are vital to our neighborhoods, and when these businesses—big or small—are hurt, our communities hurt, too. As long as we work together, I know we’ll come out of this stronger. That’s a promise. pic.twitter.com/qebd93sSgi — Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor) June 1, 2020
3:42 p.m., Monday
Peaceful march ends with message to CPD on protest arrests: “Where are our loved ones?”
Walked with group of youth from Harold Washington Cultural Center to CPD precinct at 18th/State. “This is not a riot,” they chanted on the peaceful way here - nearly 3.5 miles. Now they want information on people they believe were arrested at protests. “Where are our loved ones?” pic.twitter.com/kPokQb9KI3 — Hannah Leone (@HannahMLeone) June 1, 2020
4:05 p.m., Monday
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Chappel Avenue and 71st Street: People dance together.
Protesters dance and rally on 71st Street in South Shore as demonstrations continue across the city. More coverage: https://t.co/4JmBiwtTeZ pic.twitter.com/lXjEtvJNMp — Brian Cassella (@briancassella) June 1, 2020
5:41 p.m., Monday
Broadway near Belle Plaine Avenue: People walk with signs.
Marchers in Uptown. Peaceful protesting. pic.twitter.com/dozWxe4B5z — Paul Sullivan (@PWSullivan) June 1, 2020
6:38 p.m., Monday
Broadway and Sunnyside Avenue: Blocks of people sit or kneel outside Target.


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--Metra suspends service on Tuesday, and CTA, Pace continue  cutbacks as George Floyd fallout continue

Metra suspends service on Tuesday, and CTA, Pace continue  cutbacks as George Floyd fallout continues

So Primiano instead took Marine Drive to Clark Street to Division Street .
He kept finding barricaded streets , but @ @ @ @ @ to Halsted Street , and go to work from there .
Primiano said no police @ @ @ @ @ though he had a letter identifying himself as an essential worker and could have presented @ @ @ @ @

Metra will be out of service for a second day on Tuesday, while the CTA and Pace both imposed multiple service cutbacks and a second overnight shutdown after a weekend of mass looting and violent clashes with police downtown and in other areas.
The transit shutdowns, along with closures of highway ramps and portions of Lake Shore Drive, made it tough for some essential workers to get to and from work on Monday.
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While CTA trains and buses resumed running on Monday morning, service was limited in a wide area, not just downtown, according to its website. The CTA announced that it would shut down transit service again on Monday evening at 9:35 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Pace also suspended service on Monday evening between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Tuesday. It had not offered service to downtown Chicago during the day.
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The CTA said on its website that all service cuts were “at the request of public officials.” The CTA was shut down altogether on Sunday night, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot said during a news conference on Monday that this was in part because people were threatening riders and attempting to commandeer buses.
The mayor’s office said access to the Loop and downtown will only be granted to people who work for businesses there or live there or who are engaged in essential activities.
Some CTA riders complained to the agency on social media that service interruptions were making it hard for them to get to work. All CTA service changes are on its website.
On the roads, Illinois State Police Sgt. Jacqueline Cepeda said that all exit ramps on I-90/94 from 18th Street to Division Street are closed until further notice. Also closed is I-290 eastbound to Ida B. Wells Drive.
Lake Shore Drive is closed between Fullerton Avenue and I-55 (the Stevenson Expressway), according to the Chicago Department of Transportation. The transportation department said in an email that all downtown bridges have been raised except for bridges at Columbus Drive, LaSalle Street, Harrison Street, Lake Shore Drive and Ida B. Wells Drive.
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Transportation department spokesman Michael Claffey could not say how long the closures would last. He said in an email that the Chicago Police Department, the Office of Emergency Communications and the Department of Transportation “will continue to enforce closures for the time being while assessing when to reopen Chicago’s full network of streets.”
Dr. Mark Primiano, a veterinarian who works at the Anti-Cruelty Society on Grand Avenue in the River North area, said he usually goes from his home in Uptown along Wilson to Lake Shore Drive to get to work, but found the entrance closed.
“I tried talking to a cop who was there, who said I can’t come through,” Primiano said. Primiano said when he asked how he could get to work, the officer responded, “Not my problem, buddy."
So Primiano instead took Marine Drive to Clark Street to Division Street. He kept finding barricaded streets, but was eventually able to get to Halsted Street, and go to work from there. Primiano said no police officers were checking IDs, though he had a letter identifying himself as an essential worker and could have presented it, if asked.
“Honestly, the whole thing is for show. It’s not any safer,” said Primiano. “It was just a hassle. It’s not going to stop anyone from getting down here if they want to get down here.”
mwisniewski@chicagotribune.com


chicagotribune--2020-06-01--Widespread looting overshadows peaceful protests in Chicago and beyond, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker battle

Widespread looting overshadows peaceful protests in Chicago and beyond, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker battles President Donald Trump

As the group approached a checkpoint at Cermak Road , more police cars drove alongside them .
Some people in @ @ @ @ @ to one of the police SUVs and someone leaned out an open window to bang @ @ @ @ @ prompting two young men with megaphones to run toward the car and ask them to @ @ @ @ @ a peaceful protest !
” they repeated .
And it remained one , as the @ @ @ @ @ , past tan Humvees and National Guard troops holding batons in addition to Chicago officers @

Gregory Pratt, Bill Ruthhart, Javonte Anderson, Paige Fry, Jessica Villagomez, Hannah Leone, Morgan Greene

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)
As widespread looting overshadowed peaceful protests for a third straight day, Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday intensified the state’s response to the civic unrest that has erupted since the police killing of George Floyd, even as the governor battled President Donald Trump on the national stage.
Pritzker declared seven Illinois counties a disaster zone and announced 250 members of the Illinois National Guard and an additional 300 members of the Illinois State Police would be deployed to help reinforce suburban and downstate police departments. That comes in addition to the 375 guard members Pritzker activated in Chicago over the weekend at Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s request.
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The announcement came as shattered storefront windows and rampant theft have become commonplace in many Chicago neighborhoods and suburban shopping centers, crimes that in most cases have not been tied to ongoing protests of Floyd’s killing last week by a Minneapolis police officer who has been charged with his murder.
Pritzker called the state reinforcements necessary to respond to a “surge of destructive action," which in Chicago started in the Loop and the River North neighborhood Saturday night and became particularly acute on the city’s South and West Side neighborhoods for much of Sunday and Monday.
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Protesters demonstrate in front of Chicago police and a previously looted City Sports store along 71st Street at Chappel Avenue on June 1, 2020, in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
“The looting on the South and West sides and really all over the city, not to mention the state, is abhorrent,” Pritzker said in a late afternoon news conference. “It is certainly the obligation that we all have to keep our communities safe.”
Pritzker did not say where the additional guard troops would be deployed or which communities have requested help, and his spokeswoman did not respond to repeated requests for that information. The State Police on Monday reported having already assisted Chicago, Aurora, Oak Lawn, North Riverside, Evergreen Park, Joliet, Calumet City, Lansing, Rochelle, Rockford, Freeport, Champaign and Carbondale. How the additional 300 officers would be distributed around the state also was unclear.
The governor made the decision on a day when tensions with police continued to heighten in many Chicago neighborhoods and suburbs and as Lightfoot defended the city’s attempts to stem the looting. Pritzker also spent the day trading barbs with Trump over the president’s rhetoric in response to Floyd’s death, which has included tweeting that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts" and calling for governors to “dominate the streets.”
During a phone call Trump held with the nation’s governors, Pritzker told Trump his “inflammatory” rhetoric over Floyd’s death was unacceptable. Pritzker called for “national leadership in calling for calm and making sure that we’re addressing the concerns of the legitimate peaceful protesters. That will help us to bring order.”
Protesters climb the Irving Park Road ramp to Lake Shore Drive on June 1, 2020, in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Trump responded by telling Pritzker he did not approve of his rhetoric or his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Illinois. Later Monday, Trump held a Rose Garden news conference to announce he would mobilize the U.S. military to end “riots and lawlessness” in states, though 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. Pritzker appeared on CNN as the scene unfolded and condemned Trump’s actions.
“I reject the notion that the federal government can send troops into the state of Illinois. The fact is that the president has created an incendiary moment here,” Pritzker said, calling such a move illegal and a distraction from the president’s “miserable failure” over the coronavirus. “Now, seeing a moment where there is unrest because of the injustice that was done to George Floyd, he wants to create another topic, something where he can be the law and order president. He’s been a miserable failure.”
Across Chicago, its suburbs and in many downstate cities on Monday, elected officials and police leaders struggled to manage their share of the national fallout from Floyd’s death last week. Pritzker issued a disaster declaration for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will counties in the Chicago region, Madison County near St. Louis and Macon County, which includes Decatur.
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Protesters demonstrate in front of Chicago City Hall on Monday, June 1, 2020. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
Prtizker emphasized that the state was acting as a “support mechanism" and that decisions on how to respond to looting remained a local one. In Chicago, some aldermen already were questioning the response by Lightfoot and new police Superintendent David Brown.
Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, was joined by Near North Side Ald. Brian Hopkins, 2nd, and Southwest Side Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, in calling for Lightfoot to request 3,000 National Guard troops to help patrol the South and West sides.
“There were too few police and no National Guardsmen in the neighborhoods where overnight and throughout Sunday armed vandals looted,” Beale wrote in a letter to Lightfoot. “Yes, to the protection of the city’s central area but also, if not first, let’s protect the people and neighborhoods that make our city what it is.”
Lightfoot denied that the city prioritized protecting the Loop over neighborhoods on the South and West sides and promised to help those neighborhoods rebuild.
“There is no way, no way we would ever let any neighborhood receive more resources and protection than any others. Ever,” Lightfoot said. “That certainly didn’t happen over the course of the weekend.”
Lightfoot said such criticism is offensive to her as a black woman and added, “We did not stand by and let the South and West sides burn as some are propagating," while noting that the looting “spread like a wildfire over the weekend.”
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Brown countered the contention that officers stood by and allowed the South and West sides to be looted by rattling off arrest statistics — nearly 700 of them on Sunday in the neighborhoods compared with less than half that in the Loop on Saturday night. He said at least 132 officers were injured on Sunday alone.
Protesters sit on the 4400 block of North Broadway during a march in response to the killing of George Floyd, June 1, 2020, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
“If the narrative is true, you would have greater numbers in the downtown area than you would have in the neighborhoods,” Brown said. “So the facts just don’t support the presumption that we did something more in downtown than we did in neighborhoods. All of our efforts (Sunday) were in the neighborhoods on the West and South sides.”
So far, the 375 National Guard members allotted to the city have been used to secure the Loop and adjacent downtown neighborhoods. On Monday, the Loop remained locked down to only residents and workers in the area, with the L and CTA buses barred from making stops in the area.
The city’s 9 p.m. curfew remained in effect, and the CTA suspended all bus and train service overnight beginning at 9:30 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, citing public safety concerns. Metra suspended all service Monday.
Brown and Lightfoot said the National Guard was used to secure downtown so that more officers would be available to patrol the neighborhoods. But the looting continued throughout the city nonetheless.
In South Shore, looters cleared out City Sports, a clothing and shoe store on 71st Street near Jeffery Boulevard. The windows were broken with shattered glass, and hangers and shoe boxes spilled out onto the street.
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A Chicago police officer watches over a large gathering of protesters in the 4400 block of North Broadway during a march, June 1, 2020, in Chicago in response to the killing of George Floyd. (Armando L. Sanchez / Chicago Tribune)
Across the street, a group of volunteers gathered in the Jeffery Plaza parking lot on the south side of 71st Street to begin cleaning up.
“We were hoping whatever damage was done was done," said Ibrahim Okoe, 38. “And we could come clean up.”
The store was in shambles, with mannequins toppled over and the counter smashed. By 10 a.m., police had set up yellow caution tape and stood guard in front of the store.
Despite the damage, people were still arriving at the store looking for free clothes and shoes.
“They took everything,” an officer told a citizen.
The area, which Brown later toured with top department brass, was the scene of several clashes with police Monday afternoon. At one point, looters tried to break into the Boost Mobile store on 71st Street just east of City Sports and a large group of police officers responded. More than two dozen officers, wearing helmets and face shields, and carrying batons stood by.
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In Old Town at the intersection of North Avenue and Wells Street, there were plenty of reminders of protest left behind: handmade signs and graffiti such as “ACAB" — “all cops are b-------” — or “George Floyd” written on walls and benches.
Some residents stood outside to guard their neighborhoods and deter looters. Some stores hired security. Some boarded up their windows with plywood. Latin Saints gang members chased off looters in the Back of the Yards neighborhood, Lopez said in a tweet.
But the looting continued.
In the Logan Square neighborhood early Monday, police officers and looters met each other throughout the night near Diversey Avenue and Kimball Avenue. Cars would line up on Kimball and people would walk or run into the Foot Locker, then come out carrying boxes of shoes.
Officers would ride up to the scene, flashing their lights and shining a spotlight on the looters, who would jump back into their cars and drive away or wait it out. Many of them came back again and again. At one point, several loud reports — possibly gunshots — were heard nearby, causing the officers to leave the scene as quickly as they had come. The looting continued.
“They’re our usual looters. Just let them go," an officer said around 1:30 a.m. over the police scanners in response to another call of looting in the area. Neighborhoods such as Chatham, South Chicago, Little Village, Canaryville, West Garfield Park, Calumet Heights and more saw similar destruction by early Monday morning.
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Plenty of destruction took place across the suburbs, too.
In Waukegan, police cruisers and shopping centers were damaged. Aurora’s downtown was boarded up after looting and clashes between protesters and police. In Evanston, police increased patrols at retail stores. Joliet announced a curfew. Downers Grove saw electronics stores cleaned out. The Oakbrook Center and Yorktown Center malls in the western suburbs closed as a precaution, and Naperville business owners covered storefronts with boards as a preventive measure.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of business owners across the region were left to assess the damage once looters struck. In many cases, residents took it upon themselves to help.
Holding nothing but a yellow broom, Lurrie Fuentes left her Cicero home Monday evening to help clean up after looters hit several stores in a strip mall at Cermak Road and Cicero Avenue.
Fuentes, who said she currently works from home, said she heard police sirens at 3 p.m. and peeked her head out the window to see looters jumping out of several cars lined up on her residential street.
“It was scary,” she said, as police sirens continued to sound outside her home. “I was trying to talk to them and say, ‘This isn’t the way to do it, you’re hurting our community.’”
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Fuentes said she estimates a couple of hundred people ran into the shopping district. She stayed inside at her window.
“I’m all for the protests, but go against the big corporations, not the mom and pop stores,” she said.
Footage from TV news helicopters showed dozens of looters streaming in and out of the nearby El Patron Liquor Store. Afterward, shattered glass and the remnants of liquor littered the floor, creating small pools of mixed drinks, and the scent of spiced rum, wine and vodka filled the aisles.
Fuentes began to sweep up broken glass near liquor displays into piles.
Cicero police arrested 60 people and confirmed two deaths Monday evening.
Sandip Patel, owner of the store, stood at the register and surveyed the damage.
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“It was bound to happen,” Patel said, shrugging. “We’re all safe. This is replaceable; lives aren’t. America has to build again, so we have to build again.”
Cicero police arrested 60 individuals and confirmed two deaths Monday evening.
The peaceful protests persisted, too.
Large crowds gathered Monday evening in Uptown on the city’s North Side. Thousands of protesters, many wearing masks, set off from the Belmont “L” stop and headed north on Halsted Street, converging near the Stewart School Lofts at West Sunnyside Avenue and Broadway to listen to speakers and join in cheers. Along the way, calls of “Black Lives Matter” filled Boystown streets, where some businesses had boarded up. Volunteers handed out masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and water to marchers. Protesters carried signs with messages such as “Stop killing black people” and “Defund the police.”
Dejon Crockran and Liv Upstone, of Edgewater, said they were happy to be able to come out to show support Monday in their own neighborhood.
“Especially since there’s been sort of a disconnect it seems from the North Side to the rest of the city as far as what’s been going on in the past couple of days,” Upstone said. “I think it’s really important for North Siders, people that live up here, to come out if they’re able.”
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Crockran felt similarly, saying: “I just want to get out and make a change.”
By 8 p.m., a crowd of thousands of protesters paused at Irving Park Road and moved on to Lake Shore Drive. Some cars stopped and honked in solidarity. Other drivers held up their fists through open windows.
One driver stepped out of his car to hold up a cardboard sign that read “No Justice No Peace."
Hundreds of youths gathered outside Chicago City Hall late Monday afternoon, among them a large group that walked six miles from the Harold Washington Cultural Center.
That group, who insisted on a peaceful protest, stopped midway at the Chicago Police Department’s Central District precinct at State Street and 18th Street, where they were joined by others and confronted with a line of police in helmets, some carrying shields.
Demonstrators formed a line of their own facing the officers, and some demanded information on people they believe were arrested at weekend protests. “Where are our loved ones?” they asked. “You can’t kidnap us.”
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Many of the young demonstrators showed up after seeing social media posts by the group FourtuneHouse: “Calling all Chicago kids. This is not a riot.” Among their demands: the release of all protesters, police to wear their badges visibly, no denial of public transit, police accountability, and justice for George Floyd “and all those lost and damaged by the American criminal justice system.”
Other protesters also have focused their attention on police stations, and this effort included another meetup at the 18th District headquarters in the Near North Side. After regrouping at City Hall, the group headed north over the LaSalle Street Bridge, one of the few ways to get across the river downtown, as the city had raised many of the bridges.
Around 1:45 p.m. at the cultural center, hoping for peace but wary of what could happen, leaders with megaphones asked white participants to stand in between black demonstrators and police, saying, “Please use your privilege as an ally to help protect us as a movement.” They told everyone to find out each other’s names, have a partner and protect each other.
Amir Felton, 22, of Chicago Lawn, brought a camera.
“I come from the district of Laquan McDonald, at the time I was the same age as him," he said of the 17-year-old who was gunned down by then-Officer Jason Van Dyke, who later was convicted of McDonald’s murder. “Being a black man ... I wanted to come out here and support.”
He walked among young people from all over the city, including students from Simeon, Lane Tech and Lincoln Park High Schools.
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“People were saying the youth start the riots when half the people were actually adults,” said one high school student. “We’re here to show that youth can be peaceful. ... There’s a bigger fight to fight outside of school.”
On the way to the 1st District police station, leaders tried to keep the group on the sidewalk, and a small contingent of police followed in the street, some on foot and others in cars. When demonstrators noticed an officer holding a phone at his side, appearing to aim the camera at the group, they called him out, teasing him for trying to be sneaky with a bright orange phone case.
“That’s why you got a bodycam! Make sure it’s on,” said one young man.
As the group approached a checkpoint at Cermak Road, more police cars drove alongside them. Some people in a blue car drove up to one of the police SUVs and someone leaned out an open window to bang on the cop car, prompting two young men with megaphones to run toward the car and ask them to stop. “This is a peaceful protest!” they repeated. And it remained one, as the group moved through the checkpoint, past tan Humvees and National Guard troops holding batons in addition to Chicago officers.
When the group made it to City Hall, they gathered around an entrance, where several people spoke and led chants such as the ones they’d bellowed on the way there: “Black Lives Matter.” “No justice, no peace, no racist a-- police.”
They repeated “George Floyd,” and the names of other black Americans killed by police. “I will participate in a peaceful protest,” they chanted. “I will no longer stand for police violence. I will no longer stand for white supremacy. I will not be silenced.”
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Tribune reporters John Keilman, Jamie Munks, Stacy St. Clair, Laura Rodriguez, Sarah Freishtat, Suzanne Baker, Erin Hegarty, Emily K. Coleman and Genevieve Bookwalter contributed.
gpratt@chicagotribune.com
bruthhart@chicagotribune.com
jaanderson@chicagotribune.com
pfry@chicagotribune.com
jvillagomez@chicagotribune.com
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chicagotribune--2020-06-01--Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Officials report 974 new known COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths —

Coronavirus in Illinois updates: Officials report 974 new known COVID-19 cases and 23 more deaths — the lowest single-day totals in nearly two months

Trawinski said she can still get help with what is sent by email , but “ I ca n't get @ @ @ @ @ n't take care of snail mail , I do n't have activities .
What used @ @ @ @ @ takes eight steps to get accomplished .
They are really integral to our lives .
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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)
Illinois officials on Monday announced 974 new known cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional fatalities, bringing the total number of known cases to 121,234 and the death toll to 5,412 statewide since the start of the pandemic. Officials also reported 20,014 new tests.
The new figures are the lowest single-day totals reported in a 24-hour period in nearly two months, when 899 new cases were announced on April 5 and 16 deaths were recorded on April 2.
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[ Tracking Illinois reopening metrics: Phase 4 can begin as soon as June 26. 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 Monday with COVID-19 in the Chicago area and Illinois:
2:36 p.m.: 974 new known COVID-19 cases, 23 additional deaths
State officials on Monday announced 974 new known cases of coronavirus, pushing the statewide total to 121,234. Officials also reported 23 additional deaths, bringing the death toll statewide to 5,412. —Jamie Munks
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1:42 p.m.: No buildings and new rules, but Morton Arboretum becomes first to re-open after coronavirus closure
The morning did not seem extraordinary. People on their own or in pairs walked around Morton Arboretum’s Meadow Lake. A worker on a large mower cut grass, the machine’s noise unable to overwhelm all the bird calls, while another crew cleared tree limbs. Men on pricey bicycles zipped by on one of the tree preserve’s meandering roads.
But for all the quotidian goings on, Monday was nonetheless exceptional at the sprawling nature park in west suburban Lisle.
Morton became the first of the area’s major cultural institutions to reopen after almost all closed in mid-March to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Read more here. —Steve Johnson
1:37 p.m.: Protests erupting across the nation are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to contain the spread of coronavirus
Protests erupting across the nation over the past week — and law enforcement’s response to them — are threatening to upend efforts by health officials to track and contain the spread of coronavirus just as those efforts were finally getting underway.
Health experts need newly infected people to remember and recount everyone they've interacted with over several days in order to alert others who may have been exposed, and prevent them from spreading the disease further. But that process, known as contact tracing, relies on people knowing who they’ve been in contact with — a daunting task if they’ve been to a mass gathering.
And the process relies on something that may suddenly be in especially short supply: Trust in government. Read more here. —Associated Press
1:13 p.m.: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifts Michigan’s stay-at-home order and says restaurants can reopen for dine-in service next week
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted Michigan’s coronavirus stay-at-home order Monday, letting restaurants reopen to dine-in customers next week and immediately easing limits on gatherings while keeping social-distancing rules intact.
The governor moved six remaining regions comprising 93% of the state's population to phase 4 — “improving" — two weeks after she announced that two regions in northern Michigan could advance to that stage. Some businesses where close contact is necessary — gyms, hair salons, indoor theaters and casinos — will remain closed.
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Retailers can reopen to customers without an appointment on Thursday and restaurants can offer dine-in service on June 8 — both with capacity limits. Day camps for children and pools can open June 8. Groups of up to 100 can gather outside with social distancing, up from a threshold of 10. Read more here. —Associated Press
12:10 p.m.: Unrest prompts Chicago Public Schools to suspend meal pickup, but restaurants step in to help
Chicago Public Schools temporarily closed its “grab and go” free meal sites Monday due to unrest in the city. But home delivery of meals continues, and officials hope to restart meal pickup on Tuesday, though that remains uncertain.
CEO Janice Jackson announced the suspension at a news conference Monday saying the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution” to protect workers, students and families.
She emphasized that delivery of about 18,000 meals a day would continue, and that anyone in need of emergency food delivery may call 773-553-KIDS (5437).
“This is an emergency,” Jackson said. “I hope that it’s just one day. We will continue to monitor the situation and see how things progress.”
Jackson also said that teachers should be addressing the ongoing violence in the city in the wake of protests over the death of George Floyd following his arrest by police in Minneapolis, calling the situation a “crisis.”
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“I don’t think any teacher worth their salt needs me to tell them that this is a unique time and we have to stop and we have to actually talk to students and help them understand what’s going on,” she said. “That’s what’s going to be happening throughout this city today.”
After Chicago Public Schools announced the change, some restaurants, churches and food banks stepped up to help. Here is a running list of restaurants serving free lunch to CPS students and their families. If you want to be included in this list, please email us at food@chicagotribune.com.
Bohkeh This cocktail bar and restaurant will provide free lunch to kids in Albany Park and its surrounding neighborhoods from noon until it runs out. They ask that everyone wear masks and maintain social distance. 4716 N. Kedzie Ave., 773-754-0129, bohkehchicago.com
Paulie Gee’s Logan Square The pizzeria will be making more than 350 pizzas for CPS kids before boarding up the restaurant at 1 p.m. 2451 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-360-1072, pauliegee.com
Urban Grill Chicago This Uptown restaurant will offer free lunch to any CPS student who walks in between noon and 3 p.m. Choose from a hot dog with fries or five boneless wings with fries. People can also opt to sponsor a meal via Zelle. 1132 W. Wilson Ave., 773-754-7137, urbangrillchicago.com
Mi Tocaya Antojeria This Mexican restaurant is giving out 350 meals, starting at 11 a.m.. “Our restaurant is an antojeria made to make/share food of our heritage. To honor our ancestors, pay homage to the women whom created it and most importantly made with LOVE,” according to an Instagram post. 2800 W. Logan Boulevard, 872-315-3947, mitocaya.com
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Cesar’s Killer Margaritas This Tex-Mex restaurant will have boxed meals available for pickup from 2:30-4:30 p.m. They ask that patrons practice social distancing and wear a face mask. 3166 N. Clark St., 773-248-2835, killermargaritasclark.com
Humboldt Park Montessori Bagged lunches offered for families from 12:15 p.m. until they run out. 2540 W. Division St., 312-613-7115, humboldtparkmontessori.com
A Just Harvest This Rogers Park food pantry is providing free hot meals from noon to 2 p.m. 7653 N. Paulina St., 773-262-2297, ajustharvest.org
—Robert McCoppin and Grace Wong
6:45 a.m.: CPS suspends food distribution Monday because of unrest, will announce if resuming Tuesday, even as state announces summer food program
The Chicago Public Schools will not distribute food at schools Monday “out of an abundance of caution” and because of the difficulty families and staff might have getting to schools, according to CPS.
“The safety of our school community is top of mind, and we are closely monitoring the situation in our city,” CPS said in a note emailed to parents.
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CPS has distributed food every day since soon after the Chicago Board of Education suspended in-person classes as COVID-19 infections because widespread in Illinois. Although CTA service was again running Monday, buses and trains still weren’t operating in a large area surrounding and including downtown, because of the unrest of recent days following protests over the death of George Floyd and looting and arsons that have broken out across the Chicago area in the wake of the protests.
“Based on the evolving nature of activity across the city, we are suspending grab-and-go meal sites and all other school and administrative office activities tomorrow, 6/1,” according to the note. “Staff will telework, and remote learning will proceed as scheduled.”
The move by CPS came even as Illinois State Board of Education officials announced the state will offer free meals to school-age children throughout the state over the summer.
The Illinois State Board of Education said more organizations are needed to participate in the summer food program, as the number of families relying on the assistance for meals when school isn’t in session has increased because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“COVID-19 has turned many families’ lives upside down,” said State Superintendent of Education Carmen Ayala. “Illinois’ summer meals programs help to ensure that one thing families do not have to worry about is where their children will get their next meal.”
As CPS has, schools have found safe and creative ways to provide food to students while schools have been closed, including curbside pickup and providing meals for multiple days at one time, Ayala said in the release. Those options will continue during the summer.
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Schools, faith-based groups, local governments and nonprofit organizations are encouraged to participate, and meals are available to those age 18 and younger. Families may locate their summer food site by calling (800) 359-2163, texting “FoodIL” to 877-877, or visiting summermealsillinois.org.
CPS was expected to announce later Monday whether food will be distributed Tuesday. —Chicago Tribune staff and Associated Press
6 a.m.: Critics decry remote learning in Chicago Public Schools as unfair, say it ‘rewards those with privilege’
With virtual summer school weeks away and final grades soon due for the school year interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, critics of remote learning in Chicago Public Schools continue to push for change.
District leaders have presented the policy used to grade remote schoolwork as equitable, offering students time to improve their letter grades without the risk of failing. But a growing contingent of student activists and teachers say it has torn up the playing field for already disadvantaged students, in part because those who complete work on paper but not online are ineligible for letter grades.
Lane Tech College Prep junior Finley Williams said the “vast majority” of CPS students she’s aware of oppose the grading policy announced April 30. She cited widely circulated petitions with nearly 20,000 signatures in remarks last week to the Chicago Board of Education.
“It does not allow students without access to technology to raise their grades,” she argued, calling the incomplete a “thinly veiled fail” that penalizes students and “will doubtless result in thousands of students enrolled in virtual summer school.” Read more here. —Hannah Leone
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6 a.m.: Rentervention helps tenants with their housing issues. With COVID-19, the timing couldn’t be better.
South Chicago resident Anita Jordan, 38, was having issues getting her landlord to make repairs in her three-bedroom apartment, including fixing water damage and holes in walls and ceilings, which meant she had to buy a convection oven because she couldn’t use the stove.
“There were some repairs that needed to be done on my unit that she was just not repairing,” she said of her landlord. “She was insisting on rent money. ... And she would just give me: ‘I’m going to fix it’ and never would show up.”
After months of trying to get her concerns resolved, she reached out last fall to Rentervention.com, a tool touted as “a Chicago tenant’s best friend," which helped her withhold a portion of her $700 rent so that she’s now paying $337 per month.
A collaborative endeavor of the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing (LCBH) and Illinois Legal Aid Online, Rentervention is a free tool that helps Chicago tenants with myriad problems like Jordan’s. Rentervention guides people from any Chicago ZIP code through steps to address eviction notices, security deposit concerns or apartment conditions that affect livability or safety, said Hanna Kaufman, counsel for innovation & technology with the Lawyers Trust Fund (the original funder and creator of Rentervention). Read more here. —Darcel Rockett
6 a.m.: Association that helps visually impaired is struggling to reopen. ‘I can’t get things read, I don’t have activities. They are really integral to our lives.’
Several times a week, 72-year-old Marcia Trawinski would visit the downtown office of the Blind Service Association where a volunteer would spend a few hours reading nearly everything she got in the mail, from bills to census forms.
"If you think about your daily life, that covers most of it,” said Trawinski, who has been visually impaired most of her life.
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Things changed more than two months ago when the nearly 100-year-old association closed its doors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those who depend on the volunteers say they have been able to get some reading assistance over the phone, but it has been a challenging time.
Trawinski said she can still get help with what is sent by email, but “I can't get things read, I can't take care of snail mail, I don't have activities. What used to take three steps now takes eight steps to get accomplished. They are really integral to our lives.”
As Chicago and the rest of Illinois begin to reopen, it's still unclear when the association will resume office visits.
While the association was deemed an essential business and could have stayed open under the stay-at-home order, Executive Director Debbie Grossman said that was not an option because of the vulnerability of the people it serves, particularly the elderly with compromised health conditions. Read more here. —Sophie Sherry


chicagotribune--2020-05-31--When can Illinois move to phase 4 of Pritzker’s reopening plan? Check our daily charts on where each

When can Illinois move to phase 4 of Pritzker’s reopening plan? Check our daily charts on where each region stands.

With each of the state ’ s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov .
J.B. Pritzker ’ s Restore @ @ @ @ @ starts on moving on to Phase 4 , where more businesses and activities are allowed @ @ @ @ @ Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital @ @ @ @ @ depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker .

Chad Yoder, Nausheen Husain, Jennifer Smith Richards, Jonathon Berlin

With each of the state’s four regions in Phase 3 of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan, the clock starts on moving on to Phase 4, where more businesses and activities are allowed. The plan to reopen Illinois — from restaurants and salons to open space to non-COVID-19 procedures at the hospital to concerts and festivals — depends on a host of metrics laid out by Pritzker.
The metrics focus on a rolling average of positive coronavirus cases and hospitalizations to keep track of the direction of the outbreak as well as availability of hospital beds and ventilators that would be needed to handle a possible surge. There are also benchmarks for testing and tracing positive tests.
[ COVID-19 cases in Illinois by ZIP code: Search for your neighborhood ]
A key element of the plan is that a region can move both forward and backward, where more parts of society can open and shut depending on the seriousness of the outbreak.
Here is a breakdown of where each region stands.


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Chicago starts opening Wednesday, despite unrest and coronavirus concerns as Lightfoot stays course

“ I have reservations about it because I worry about , one , a lot of exposure with COVID-19 from @ @ @ @ @ participating in protests , ” Hadden said .
“ I also worry about a lot @ @ @ @ @ either completely destroyed or severely impacted through the protests over the last several days , @ @ @ @ @ brown communities who have so many things on their plate , I ’ m not @ @ @ @ @ to be able to reopen . ''

Gregory Pratt, Bill Ruthhart, Grace Wong, Morgan Greene, Jessica Villagomez

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)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is pushing ahead with plans to allow businesses to start gradually reopening Wednesday, though how much of Chicago actually opens back up will vary by neighborhood.
Many store owners are dealing with empty shelves and shattered windows amid the aftermath of looting. A 9 p.m. curfew remains in effect. Demonstrators continue to march. And the coronavirus threat still looms. But bridges will be lowered, and many downtown streets will reopen.
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Lightfoot’s announcement caught some by surprise, since over the weekend she had suggested civic unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police could delay the reopening. The mayor said she made the call after consulting with numerous local business owners, chambers of commerce and aldermen. Lightfoot said she raised the question frequently as she toured damaged businesses in several neighborhoods on Monday.
“Everywhere I went, I asked the question, ‘Should we open? Or should we delay?’” Lightfoot said. “And to universal acclaim, emphatically, what I heard from people was, ‘Mayor, we have to step forward. We have to open.’"
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The decision means that local restaurants can reopen with outside dining, retail shops can welcome customers, personal services businesses such as salons and barbershops can open up and other businesses such as hotels can start to operate. All of the businesses will be subject to reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking.
City Hall pressed ahead with the reopening plan on a day when local street protests over Floyd’s death continued and widespread looting appeared to slow, especially in neighborhoods on the South and West sides where many retailers already had been cleaned out.
Lightfoot bolstered her resolve to move forward during a 20-minute evening televised address on Floyd’s death, which she condemned as having robbed “his humanity, his future and his life.”
Floyd’s killing, the result of a Minneapolis police officer kneeling on his neck for several minutes, had “evoked a long history of violence against African Americans,” including in Chicago, Lightfoot said, as she read the names of police shooting victims Laquan McDonald, Quintonio LeGrier and Rekia Boyd. She also mentioned disgraced former police Cmdr. Jon Burge, whose team of rogue detectives used torture to coerce dozens of confessions from suspects.
Lightfoot said, “My heart is broken over what has happened here in the city that I love,” in reference to the widespread looting and fires set to businesses in recent days, before vowing better days lie ahead.
“We will not be distracted by those who are not pure of heart and mind. They are not us and we are not them,” she said. “If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace.”
Lightfoot said the city would set up a fund of “at least $10 million” to help businesses looted in recent days. And she called on insurance companies to “cut through the red tape” and to “start cutting checks” to businesses.
The mayor also said the city would put in place new police reforms in the next 90 days, policies already under consideration as part of a federal court’s oversight of the Police Department. The proposals, which Lightfoot helped recommend as part of a Rahm Emanuel-appointed task force after the McDonald shooting, include community involvement in officer training, implementing an officer wellness program, mandating crisis intervention and procedural justice training for all officers, and creating a “new recruit program” on community policing.
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As for Lightfoot staying the course on the reopening plan, the response varied from neighborhood to neighborhood. In some hardest hit by looting, it was viewed as largely symbolic since many shops will need to process insurance claims, replace shattered windows and restock their shelves before they can consider doing businesses. Some aldermen in those areas criticized the decision, calling it callous.
In areas on the North Side that have faced less destruction and among restaurant owners who had less exposure to the looting, there appeared more eagerness to reopen.
On the Far South Side, Ald. Anthony Beale estimated that more than 40 businesses were looted in his 9th Ward, including along 103rd Street and along Michigan Avenue.
“I don’t see anyone opening up businesses down here. I don’t think that’s possible,” he said. “They’re going to wait until they can get windows back on, doors fixed and then reopen. That is weeks away. It’s going to be a lot longer, much slower process.”
Southwest Side Ald. Raymond Lopez, who represents parts of Back of the Yards, West Englewood and Brighton Park, said about 30 businesses have been damaged in his 15th Ward. Lopez said he’s concerned the city’s reopening plan is unfair and called it “lunacy.”
“Many businesses, small and large, in the African American and Latino community took massive hits in the last few days and are still getting hit,” Lopez said. “It’s cruel to talk about opening Chicago’s businesses when so many of them have been decimated and they’re not able to participate in the reopening.”
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Ald. Pat Dowell’s 3rd Ward was hit hard by looting, with stores in the South Loop getting ransacked Saturday and large swaths of Bronzeville and Washington Park affected on Sunday. Still, Dowell said some retailers managed to miss the destruction and others that weren’t targets are eager to reopen. She estimated more than 50 businesses were looted.
“Opening up is not far-fetched. A lot of the businesses are really optimistic, especially the restaurants, they really want to open,” Dowell said. “I support the mayor’s decision to open.”
Still, in Hyde Park, restaurateur Rico Nance said he was going to hold off for now on putting a few chairs and tables outside for diners.
“I’m not sure how smart it is to put someone outside right now with looters running past, snatching purses,” said Nance, who owns LiteHouse Whole Food Grill, Mikkey’s Retro Grill and The Soul Shack. “But once the climate calms down, it might be the only thing to keep us in business.”
Ald. Roderick Sawyer, who represents the Chatham neighborhood, said he didn’t have many restaurants in his 6th Ward, and most of the bars that are eager to reopen don’t serve food or have a patio license to allow dining outside. Still, he figured Lightfoot’s decision at least would allow barbershops and beauty salons to start doing business again.
“We can’t let temporary setbacks hold us back. Hopefully the looting issue is a response to a horrific act, and even though the looting is unacceptable, the protests were,” Sawyer said.
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Lakeview Ald. Tom Tunney said he planned for two of his Ann Sather restaurants to reopen for outdoor dining on Wednesday. The flagship location on Belmont Avenue would require using a parking lot to allow for alfresco dining, and Tunney said that’s not possible at the moment.
Tunney said he wants Gov. J.B. Pritzker to allow indoor dining, too, but the governor has said the earliest that could happen is June 26 if coronavirus cases don’t rapidly rise.
“Restaurants are dying, and we are probably one of the largest employers in the city and state,” Tunney said.
While much of Tunney’s 44th Ward had been spared from the looting so far, he said 100 businesses boarded up as a precaution on Monday when rumors spread that looters wanted to burn down the North Side.
“In some ways, we’re more cautious about violence than COVID fear at this point,” Tunney said. But, he added, “We’ve got to take a chance in life.”
Greg Mohr, co-owner of the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, is taking a similar approach and is happy to be back.
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While Utopian Tailgate, the irreverent, nostalgic bar and restaurant atop Piper’s Alley, is getting rid of its lawn games, customers can still play tabletop games — they’ll be sanitized between each use. Patrons also will find QR codes to access the menu, and if they want a paper one, it’ll be disposed of after it’s used. When dining at the group’s Roots restaurants, customers will be encouraged to use an app to order and pay.
“We’ll continue to pivot as we find better ways to do things,” Mohr said. “We don’t know how it’s going to go. ... But I’m excited to work again and serve people again and seeing people smiling and eating and drinking and all the things.”
Even as Lightfoot announced moving forward with the planned reopening, the administration warned that the city could scale back if people do not continue to follow social distancing rules or if coronavirus cases jump.
Chicago public health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said the city has met its health goals for reopening and that cases and hospitalizations are on a decline, but she said the reopening process is “fragile at best.”
"We need you, please, not to forget about COVID and to limit the opportunities that it has to spread,” she said.
Some aldermen remain concerned the city is opening too soon amid the pandemic and worry that the recent protests, which have featured thousands of people jammed into city streets for several days straight, could lead to a resurgence in cases.
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“I don’t think we should be opening. I understand folks need to be able to feed their families and we’ve been in isolation, but based on what’s happened this weekend, all the folks have been out,” said 20th Ward Ald. Jeanette Taylor, who represents Woodlawn. “I fear the numbers are going to go right back up and we’ll be in a space where we see more deaths.”
Rogers Park Ald. Maria Hadden said she’s concerned about the reopening of the city even though businesses in her 49th Ward haven’t been hit hard by looting and are eager to open.
“I have reservations about it because I worry about, one, a lot of exposure with COVID-19 from many people being out and participating in protests,” Hadden said. “I also worry about a lot of businesses who have been either completely destroyed or severely impacted through the protests over the last several days, particularly in majority black and brown communities who have so many things on their plate, I’m not sure they’re going to be able to reopen."
How many downtown businesses will reopen is unclear. Late Tuesday night, Lightfoot announced that full access to the Loop and surrounding neighborhoods will be restored. Some access points will remain closed, however, including Lake Shore Drive exits at Michigan Avenue, Chicago Avenue, Grand Avenue, Lower Wacker Drive and Randolph Street. CTA train and bus service will resume, but some stops will remain closed. Divvy bike service will reopen citywide.
Ald. Brian Hopkins, whose Near North Side 2nd Ward includes parts of downtown, said he doesn’t support opening the central business district until police leaders, Pritzker and Lightfoot think it’s safe.
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“We’re not ready today for downtown to reopen, and this is a decision that can’t be made in advance. We can only react to a very dynamic and unpredictable situation,” Hopkins said.
Many aldermen representing some of the hardest hit areas reported few incidents of looting as of late Tuesday afternoon, but they described the situation as tenuous.
“Things are pretty quiet right now,” Beale reported. “But to be honest with you, there’s nothing left to take.”
Still, one silver lining is that the Walmart on 111th Street along the Bishop Ford Freeway got boarded up and protected by officers before it could be looted, Beale said. He said he’s asking City Hall to get enough protection so it could reopen and serve as one of the few areas on the South Side where shoppers could get groceries and fill prescriptions.
While the looting subsided in some areas, the peaceful protests continued.
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.
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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 as temperatures exceeded 90 degrees.
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,” she said. “So I brought my watering can out to provide some relief.”
On a sweltering Tuesday evening, dozens of faith and community leaders gathered in Bronzeville. Organizers said the march was held on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive as a symbolic gesture, to represent its peaceful nature.
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As the march kept on toward 51st Street, 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.
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.”
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Carlson said she’s tired of police brutality and those who get away with it “over and over again.” She 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?”
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.
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Chicago Tribune’s Sophie Sherry contributed.


chicagotribune--2020-06-03--Amid protests, Mayor Lori Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ and announces $10M grant fund

Amid protests, Mayor Lori Lightfoot asks Chicago to ‘stand for peace’ and announces $10M grant fund to help looted businesses

“ If there is to be an uprising , let it be for peace .
I call on all people @ @ @ @ @ old , black , brown , white , Asian , from all faith traditions , @ @ @ @ @ for peace , ” Lightfoot said from her City Hall office .
“ Stand for @ @ @

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivers a televised message on June 2, 2020, about events arising from the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)
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 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.”
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.
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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.”
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Lightfoot has a long, complicated history in the local police reform movement. She’s a former federal prosecutor who headed the board that oversees police discipline and chaired the Police Accountability Task Force formed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. But she is often criticized by activists as being pro-police.
The police accountability measures she announced also are likely to draw criticism as not going far enough. Lightfoot has been in a dispute with activists over how a civilian oversight commission of the Police Department would work, with critics wanting more power given to people outside City Hall.
In her speech, 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 by infamous city cop Jon Burge. She said “four shameful Minneapolis police officers ... took (Floyd’s) life" and praised “the bystanders who stopped, trained their cameras on this obvious injustice and preserved that moment for the rest of us to bear witness.”
African American history is “paved with the racism and violence of the original sin of slavery, the open wounds from the slave masters’ whips, the rope marks from the lynching tree, blood spilled by the billy club, the dogs and the fire hoses,” Lightfoot said.
“To all of that, we now must add a knee to the neck to the list of violence intended to break us,” Lightfoot said, alluding to Floyd’s death.
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While calling for protesters to demonstrate against racism, 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."
The city must “draw a sharp line between the righteous and the wrong, the hopeful and the cynical. We cannot conflate legitimate First Amendment expression with criminal conduct,” she said.
“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.”
gpratt@chicagotribune.com