chicagotribune--2020-06-01--Aurora’s police chief joined peaceful protests. Rioters wreaked havoc in the downtown hours later.

“ I started my day assembling with good people who wanted to be heard .
The majority who came to @ @ @ @ @ they ’ ve had enough were hurting — and they were kind and good , @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And they marched in our streets peacefully to City Hall .
A group @ @ @ @ @ but it was fortified with police .
So they went to our downtown and tried @ @ @ @ @ ”

Illinois State Police at the scene where rioters in Aurora looted stores on May 31, 2020. (Stacy St. Clair / Chicago Tribune)
The state’s second largest city erupted into chaos Sunday night, as rioters in west suburban Aurora looted stores and set a series of fires around a downtown area already financially devastated by the coronavirus lockdown.
Police responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd, which swelled to about 500 people at its height. Some onlookers, in turn, hurled chunks of concrete and other objects at officers, shrouding the message of nonviolence urged earlier that day during peaceful protests over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
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In addition to plundering local businesses, the crowd set fire to three police cars, a bank drive-thru and a Family Dollar retail store. Many onlookers cheered as a gas tank on one of the squad cars exploded and flames engulfed the entire vehicle.
“They smashed windows of businesses and stole whatever they could from hard-working people who were gearing up to reopen,” Aurora police Chief Kristen Ziman wrote on Facebook early Monday morning. “They set our squad cars on fire, set buildings on fire, and threw bricks at our cops. Our squads have bullet holes.”
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Shots were fired at officers at least twice during the clashes, the department said, but no one was apparently wounded by the gunfire. However, one Aurora police officer suffered minor injures after being hit by something thrown from the crowd.
Illinois State Police officers were brought in to assist, as were canine units. The Illinois National Guard also provided aerial support, according to Mayor Richard Irvin.
At least 17 people were arrested, the department said Monday.
Authorities began firing tear gas into the crowd before the city’s 8:30 p.m. curfew and continued doing so until the crowds dispersed around 11 p.m. Tribune reporters witnessed at least nine instances in which tear gas was deployed and at least three involving rubber bullets.
Aurora resident Austyn Aguilar said he was tear-gassed after he approached officers standing outside an armored truck and tried to block their way.
“I screamed, ‘Don’t shoot.' I said, ‘I feel your pain. Whether or not I hate you right now, I feel you,'” Aguilar said. “I don’t have to go through a lot of the pain my friends do, so it’s the least I could do.”
An Aurora police squad car is lit on fire by rioters in Aurora as a peaceful protest turned violent on May 31, 2020. (Stacy St. Clair / Chicago Tribune)
The mayor issued a state of emergency, and all entrance ramps to the city from Interstate 88 were closed. Police also proactively blocked off all entrances to the Chicago Premium Outlet mall and Fox Valley Mall.
Ayala Edwards, a local salon owner who rushed downtown to protect her business after seeing looters shatter the front window on Facebook Live, shook her head sadly as she watched the unrest unfold.
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“I understand why the protests are happening,” said Edwards, who is one of several black business owners in Aurora’s downtown. “But I don’t understand the violence and the vandalism. It confuses the entire message."
Edwards also expressed her frustration with Aurora police, who watched as local stores were ransacked and did not attempt to stop it. Her concerns echoed similar complaints by store owners in Chicago, where police were advised to weigh their personal safety before engaging.
“They literally watched the jewelry store be looted,” she said. “They stood there and did nothing. This why people don’t trust the government.”
Aurora’s tumult came a day after looters ransacked parts of Chicago’s downtown, prompting Mayor Lori Lightfoot to request the Illinois National Guard’s help. As Lightfoot barricaded the Loop and Magnificent Mile, chaos spread into city neighborhoods and suburban communities, including North Riverside, where one person was shot.
In Aurora, the day began with Ziman inviting protesters to the Police Department to discuss Floyd’s death. Floyd, a black man, died May 25 after Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, was captured on video pushing his knee into Floyd’s neck despite Floyd’s protestations that he was unable to breathe.
Ziman, one of three finalists for the recently filled Chicago police superintendent job, has repeatedly spoken out against the officers involved in the case, saying that “resisting suffocation is not resisting arrest.” At the Sunday afternoon protest, she joined the crowd in their chants of “justice now.”
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“Any officer who thinks that (what happened to George Floyd) is OK needs to turn in their badge," she told protesters. “And I stand by that.”
As Ziman answered questions about everything from body cameras to her department’s hiring practices, a clear divide emerged among those gathered. Some wanted to engage with the officers and continue a nonviolent protest, while others demanded more aggressive tactics.
The two sides began shouting at each other until the more hostile group moved toward the downtown and people began plundering businesses.
“I started my day assembling with good people who wanted to be heard. The majority who came to our police department to say they’ve had enough were hurting — and they were kind and good,” Ziman wrote on Facebook. “And they marched in our streets peacefully to City Hall. A group walked to the Outlet Mall but it was fortified with police. So they went to our downtown and tried to burn it down.”
Using cinder blocks from a nearby construction site, people shattered storefront windows and climbed inside the businesses as police in riot gear watched. After breaking into one jewelry store, masked looters emerged carrying trays of necklaces and watch boxes. Some hopped into waiting vehicles parked at the curb, while others simply walked down the street with their stolen goods.
One young man could be heard complaining that only a crystal vase remained by the time he went inside the store. He then threw the vase at officers, eliciting both admonishments and laughter from the crowd.
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Looters also raided a local smoke shop, stealing cartons of cigarettes, loose tobacco and vaping products. Several teens walked brazenly down the street afterward, carrying paper bags filled with their stolen goods.
They stopped at one point to inventory their bounty and tossed two cartons of off-brand cigarettes in the doorway of Sumdong martial arts studio, where the front window had been shattered hours earlier.
Sumdong owner Rosie Alvarez simply stared at their audacity.
Her business, which had been struggling financially because of the pandemic, was set to begin one-on-one training this week as allowed by the state. She was not at the studio when the window was shattered, but a customer called and told her he had been trying to keep the looters at bay.
“I understand what they are going through, but they are hurting local businesses already hurt by the pandemic,” Alvarez said.
With her business closed for the past two months because of the state’s stay-at-home order, Alvarez predicted it would be at least two more months before she could repair the damage done Sunday.
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“This is devastating,” she said.
In its early morning update, the Police Department said there were no additional reports of looting in Aurora as of 2:30 a.m. Authorities were bracing for further unrest Monday night, with the city remaining under an 8:30 p.m. curfew and the Illinois National Guard on standby to help.
“Did your actions today help unite mankind and move closer to the peace we are all fighting to achieve?” Ziman wrote at the end of her Facebook post along with a picture of her hugging a protester. “Just wondering.”


chicagotribune--2020-06-01--No, Lincoln Park Zoo animals were not set loose in Sunday’s looting

“ We take all claims of animals being loose very seriously , '' said Braun , who noted the zoo @ @ @ @ @ being able to announce a date for a limited reopening after being closed the past @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 .
`` So we did go in and ensure that all the @ @ @ @ @ ”

The animals are all right.
“All animals at Lincoln Park Zoo are accounted for and safe,” the North Side Chicago zoo found it necessary to announce Monday.
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“There were no break-ins, thefts, or incidents last night. Images circulating, claiming to be of Lincoln Park Zoo animals out of their habitats, are false.”
Jillian Braun, the zoo’s director of public relations and communications, said there was also reportedly “some chat on the (police) scanner about animals roaming the streets that were attributed to being from the Lincoln Park Zoo.”
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“We take all claims of animals being loose very seriously," said Braun, who noted the zoo is “close” to being able to announce a date for a limited reopening after being closed the past 2-1/2 months to limit the spread of COVID-19. "So we did go in and ensure that all the animals were accounted for.”
She was unclear on the source of the talk on the scanner. Social media posts amid the unrest caused by protests and looting around the city and suburbs purported to show animals, including penguins and a hippo, on the loose.
There was significant skepticism about the images on sites including Facebook, but they are believed to have circulated widely, prompting the zoo to issue the extraordinary statement.
In addressing the topic, the zoo said it was responding to concerned messages it had received from “friends of wildlife.”
A spokeswoman for Brookfield Zoo, in the near western suburbs, said that institution had no issues either.
Thank you to friends of wildlife for your concerns. All animals at Lincoln Park Zoo are accounted for and safe. There were no break-ins, thefts, or incidents last night. Images circulating, claiming to be of Lincoln Park Zoo animals out of their habitats, are false. pic.twitter.com/d3TZoEgrKd — Lincoln Park Zoo (@lincolnparkzoo) June 1, 2020
sajohnson@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @StevenKJohnson


chicagotribune--2020-06-01--Chicago firefighters battle extra-alarm fire at South Side shopping center

The fire at the strip mall followed another extra-alarm fire at a shopping strip near the CTA Green Line ’ @ @ @ @ @ left a firefighter injured before the blaze was put out about 9 p.m. , as @ @ @ @ @ throughout the city , most at businesses on the West and South Sides .

Chicago firefighters responded early Monday to a fire at the 95th Street shopping center in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood, one of many in the city and suburbs overnight.
Around 7 a.m., the Chicago Fire Department posted a picture on Twitter that showed the Dollar Tree, 2101 E. 95th St., up in smoke.
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The fire at the strip mall followed another extra-alarm fire at a shopping strip near the CTA Green Line’s 47th Street stop that left a firefighter injured before the blaze was put out about 9 p.m., as well as many other fires throughout the city, most at businesses on the West and South Sides.
Other commercial fires, apparently related to looting following protests of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, were reported in Chicago-area suburbs.
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Check back for updates.


chicagotribune--2020-06-01--Businesses reeling from pandemic face rebuilding after George Floyd protests give way to  looting. ‘

Businesses reeling from pandemic face rebuilding after George Floyd protests give way to  looting. ‘It’s going to take a slow climb to build back from this.’

“ You don ’ t know how to feel , ” she said .
`` On the one hand , @ @ @ @ @ cause and am very aware of just how frustrating it is to not have any @ @ @ @ @ But on the other hand … I just feel it pushes the cause back when @ @ @ @ @ looking at it as an opportunity to go crazy .
”

Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz, Lauren Zumbach, Ryan Ori

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)
This week was supposed to mark a milestone for a city looking forward to reopening after nearly three months of being sidelined by COVID-19.
Chicago’s economic engine was expected to restart, with outdoor dining permitted at restaurants, hair salons reopening, and nonessential stores welcoming in customers Wednesday for the first time since mid-March. Other workplaces, like offices, also were given guidelines to reopen. Combined, the moves were expected to chip away at the city’s unemployment rate, which had climbed to 18.9% in April.
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Instead, businesses in Chicago spent Sunday sweeping up glass, boarding up windows and taking stock of destroyed stores and stolen inventory amid fallout from the death in Minneapolis last week of George Floyd. Long before night had fallen, any hope that workers, consumers and business would return to a sense of normalcy had been dashed.
Tyra Peterson, center, and other volunteers clean up in front of the Under Armour store on Michigan Avenue on May 31, 2020, after a night of unrest in Chicago. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Barrio, a restaurant in River North, had planned to open its outside patio Wednesday, as the city entered phase three of its gradual reopening plan, and had companywide trainings set for Monday and Tuesday to acclimate staff to the new procedures to stay safe amid the pandemic, said executive chef Andrew Sikkelerus.
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But that is likely to be pushed back after Saturday night’s unrest, which left its windows smashed, he said. The restaurant had been open for carryout that night but shut its doors as a mob of people swarmed Kinzie Street, and employees had to sneak out when there were gaps in the crowd, he said.
The damage comes during an already brutal time for businesses that haven’t been allowed to operate because of the coronavirus.
“It hurts to be kicked while you’re already down,” Sikkelerus said. He added that “the protests were a wonderful thing but they should have been peaceful, and what happened last night was not a protest.”
Mannequins outside the ransacked Nike Store on Michigan Avenue on May 31, 2020, the morning after unrest in the city. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Dozens of downtown businesses — and some in residential neighborhoods — were damaged as unrest raged in response to the death of Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of a white Minneapolis police officer. The city said the vandalism was organized, with some people showing up with U-Haul trucks, and city officials drew a distinction between the looters and protesters.
In an emotional news conference Sunday decrying the violence, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced the deployment of the National Guard. In addition, CTA bus and train service was suspended, and no one was allowed into the central business district unless they live there, work as essential employees there or are helping with cleanup and repairs.
Lightfoot said she is in talks with the police and health commissioners to determine if phase three of the city’s reopening plan can move forward as scheduled. She is also talking with businesses.
“It’s a terrible thing that after being shut down for so long, these businesses were preparing for opening on June 3, putting out patio furniture and doing other things to get themselves ready. Now instead of a moment of celebration, what they’re doing is experiencing a moment of despair,” Lightfoot said during the news conference.
Rick Samaniego helps clear broken glass from his family's Wabash Avenue jewelry store on May 31, 2020, the morning after unrest led to widespread destruction downtown. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Many merchants on Oak Street had only recently taken down boards put up to protect their storefronts when they closed due to COVID-19 and the stay-at-home order, in anticipation of reopening Wednesday. People had just started to come back and window-shop, creating “a sense of hope,” said Tina Kourasis, owner of VMR, a women’s boutique.
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“This was going to be our big day, like a ticker-tape parade,” she said.
But after the Christian Louboutin boutique reported a break-in Saturday morning on a group text among Oak Street businesses, several of the bigger brands said they planned to put the boards back up in light of the unrest, Kourasis said. She decided to follow suit.
Her shop emerged unscathed from Saturday’s mayhem, but opening Wednesday no longer seems realistic. “I don’t know when the anger subsides. It’s really tricky,” she said.
“You don’t know how to feel,” she said. "On the one hand, I have empathy for the cause and am very aware of just how frustrating it is to not have any progress in this country. But on the other hand … I just feel it pushes the cause back when you have extremists who are looking at it as an opportunity to go crazy.”
Construction projects in and around downtown Chicago are shut down until further notice. Contractors were instructed to lock down and secure their sites, in an email notice sent Sunday night by Department of Buildings Commissioner Judy Frydland.
The boundary runs from 26th Street north to Division Street, with Lake Shore Drive as the eastern boundary. The west boundary is Canal Street between 26th and Kinzie streets, and Halsted Street north of there to Division.
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Some businesses reported vandalism and looting at properties in neighborhoods far from the Loop where the unrest began.
Binny’s Beverage Depot sustained “massive product and property losses” across five stores in Chicago, including in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Hyde Park, the South Loop and downtown, said director of communications Greg Versch.
At the Lincoln Park store, large alcohol displays were stolen and looters breached the fine wine lockup area and collectible spirits room, where they smashed a $10,000 large-format bottle of Champagne and stole other products, Versch said.
A ransacked makeup store in River North on May 31, 2020, the morning after unrest led to widespread destruction downtown. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Also smashed was a bottle of Champagne signed by the 2015, 2016 and 2017 Chicago Cubs that was being auctioned off to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository, with its most recent bid at $3,000, he said.
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Versch said it isn’t clear when the stores will reopen. No one was injured.
The spiraling of Saturday’s protests contrasted with the run-up to other Chicago events such as the NATO summit in 2012 and the October 2018 guilty verdict of police Officer Jason Van Dyke in the video-recorded shooting death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald four years earlier, said Kevin Purcell, president of leasing and management services at MB Real Estate. In those incidents, Chicago officials and property owners took extensive measures to prepare for unrest that wound up falling far short of worst-case scenarios.
“Unfortunately, unlike some of the stuff we’ve prepared for, this wasn’t something there was much preparation for,” Purcell said. The firm manages about 20 million square feet of commercial buildings downtown.
Building owners on Sunday were bracing for more mayhem.
“We’re expecting more, frankly,” said Michael Cornicelli, executive vice president of BOMA/Chicago, an association of 240 downtown buildings. “We have to be prepared for that. It’s serious. There is concern that people are coming in from outside the area to take part in violence.”
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Emergency measures have taken precedence over ongoing preparations to welcome back the first wave of office workers downtown starting midweek, he said.
“Wednesday seems like a long way away,” Cornicelli said.
The Magnificent Mile Association started warning property owners Saturday morning to remove items from streets that could be used as weapons or to damage property, but no one expected damage on the scale of what unfolded.
As of Sunday morning, city officials told them 135 properties had been damaged in the central business district, and they weren’t done counting, said Chairman Rich Gamble.
Association President and CEO Kimberly Bares said that it was too soon to estimate the cost of the damage but that it would be “in the millions.”
Even if retail stores and restaurants are allowed to open this week for phase three, it’s not clear how many would be ready, or whether consumers will be ready to return.
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“It’s going to have a chilling effect on people and their willingness to go out,” Bares said. “Before, we focused on making people feel safe around cleanliness and sanitation. Now we have a whole other set of concerns around people’s physical safety.”
At least 45 businesses in the Loop were vandalized, including Target, Champs and Old Navy, according to the Chicago Loop Alliance, which advocates for businesses in the central business district. Central Camera, a 121-year-old camera shop on Wabash Avenue, went up in flames during the protests, but the third-generation owner is vowing to rebuild “and make it just as good or better.”
Owner Don Flesch, whose grandfather started the iconic Central Camera in 1899, walks through the damaged store the morning after it burned. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
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It is uncertain when vandalized stores will be able to reopen.
Macy’s said it sustained damage at its State Street and Water Tower stores, as well as Bloomingdale’s on North Michigan Avenue and the Bloomingdale’s Medinah Home store.
Target said it adjusted hours at or temporarily closed more than 200 stores nationally over the weekend. Six stores remain closed until further notice, including a store in Chicago’s South Loop. Target said it would return to normally scheduled hours “as soon as it is safe to do so.”
CVS closed more than two dozen pharmacies, including several in Chicago. Some locations were damaged and others were closed as a precaution to keep employees safe, CVS said.
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The Central Camera store on May 31, 2020, the morning after it burned when unrest led to widespread destruction downtown. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
Nike declined to comment on damage to its Magnificent Mile store, which photos showed to be smashed and swarmed by people. In a statement, the company said it supports “free and peaceful protests and we do not condone violence."
Acadia Realty Trust, which had spent months renegotiating leases of retailers affected by the coronavirus shutdown, turned its focus Sunday to boarded-up and damaged buildings on the Mag Mile and State Street. Acadia’s tenants include Target, Walgreens and Uniqlo on State Street and H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue and Verizon on the Mag Mile.
“We were all looking forward to June, and now this is an added complexity to being able to open safely, now that there’s so much civil unrest,” said Chris Conlon, executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Rye, New York-based real estate investment trust. “It’s going to take a slow climb to build back from this.”
The most heavily damaged areas appeared to be on North Michigan Avenue, the city’s best-known shopping destination; LaSalle Street, the city’s longtime financial center; and on Wacker Drive near Trump International Hotel & Tower, said Purcell of MB Real Estate.
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“I’ve been working in this business for 25 years and this is the worst situation that I’ve seen,” said Purcell, whose company also manages Daley Plaza, where the 50-foot Pablo Picasso sculpture was defaced with spray paint.
Buildings managed by MB were calling in off-duty police officers to help keep building workers safe and were doing additional board-up work, he said. With bridges raised and public transportation shut down, building owners and managers struggled Sunday morning to relieve exhausted building engineers, managers and security staff, Purcell said.
Downtown’s devastation comes at an already complex moment, with Chicago looking to kick-start its economy as stay-at-home orders from the coronavirus pandemic are eased. Some companies are expected to begin bringing a small percentage of their office workers back to Loop skyscrapers in the coming weeks.
“People were already apprehensive about COVID-19 and coming downtown,” Purcell said. “I wonder what further impact this will have on tenants’ confidence in coming back to the city this week.” Surveys of tenants showed buildings were expected to be in light use this week, and “I think now it’s going to be even lighter.”


Looting in Aurora

Rioters in west suburban Aurora looted stores on May 31 , 2020 , and set a series of fires around @ @ @ @ @ devastated by the coronavirus lockdown .

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chicagotribune--2020-06-01--The latest from editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis

Situated on a 0.45-acre parcel , the 16-room mansion has eight bathrooms , a limestone fireplace in the family room @ @ @ @ @ hardwood floors .


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--George Floyd fallout: Gov. J.B. Pritzker deploys National Guard to suburbs, access to downtown Chica

George Floyd fallout: Gov. J.B. Pritzker deploys National Guard to suburbs, access to downtown Chicago remains restricted

The activation of about 250 additional troops comes after governor ordered 375 service members , all of whom have training @ @ @ @ @ to help with crowd control in Chicago , where looting continued Monday as a large @ @ @ @ @ in Uptown .

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


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--Watch live: Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CPD and health officials provide an update to the city

Mayor Lori Lightfoot will join the Chicago Police Department and Chicago Department of Public Health to provide an update in @ @ @ @ @ a.m. CDT .


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--Daywatch: Looting overshadows peaceful protests as city defends response, Pritzker battles Trump and

Daywatch: Looting overshadows peaceful protests as city defends response, Pritzker battles Trump and familiar faces coming to WGN America’s ‘unbiased’ newscast

Throughout Sunday night and early Monday , Chicago police received call after call of lootings , shootings and fires on @ @ @ @ @ .
There were several “ 10-1″ calls for officers in immediate need of help .
@ @ @ @ @ was one of the most violent in recent years in Chicago , with more than @ @ @ @ @ 20 of them killed .

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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)
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.
In Washington, Trump threatened to deploy the military to states as police forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas so the president could walk to a nearby church and pose with a Bible.
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)
Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday faced a series of questions — including from some aldermen — about whether Chicago police did enough to stop looters from splintering out of peaceful demonstrations to break store windows, steal merchandise and set some buildings ablaze. 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, and said the looting “spread like a wildfire."
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Sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests in Chicago have been fueled by decades of Police Department problems.
Looters make off with shoes from a shoe store on Milwaukee Avenue in the Wicker Park neighborhood on June 1, 2020. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)
Throughout Sunday night and early Monday, Chicago police received call after call of lootings, shootings and fires on all sides of the city. There were several “10-1″ calls for officers in immediate need of help. It capped a weekend that was one of the most violent in recent years in Chicago, with more than 80 people shot, nearly 20 of them killed.
Collin Pierson and Michelle Durpetti, owners of Gene & Georgetti, stand outside their boarded-up restaurant as cleanup efforts continue on June 1, 2020, following the previous night's unrest in Chicago. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune)
After River North steakhouse Gene & Georgetti took a hit from looters over the weekend, owner Michelle Durpetti said she’s not angry about the vandalism that spun off of protests against the police killing death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
“We can repair our damage," she said. "We know that there’s a much larger discussion that should be happening and needs to be happening.”
The Loop’s iconic Central Camera went up in flames, but the third-generation owner is vowing to rebuild “and make it just as good or better.”
WGN-Ch. 9 anchor Joe Donlon on set in 2019. Donlon has been named co-anchor of WGN America, a new nightly national cable newscast set to debut in September. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)
When WGN America launches its prime time national cable newscast on Sept. 1, Chicago viewers may recognize a few familiar faces. Most notably, WGN-Ch. 9′s Joe Donlon will move to a bigger stage as co-anchor of the fledgling “News Nation” broadcasts, which seek to carve out a niche with a mission of delivering “unbiased” straight news.


chicagotribune--2020-06-02--Looting and shattered windows in downtown Naperville as rally turns violent; one person injured and

Looting and shattered windows in downtown Naperville as rally turns violent; one person injured and taken by ambulance

Ashley Mueller said she stayed with her friend in downtown Naperville Monday , thinking it would be safer than her @ @ @ @ @ people were arrested and several businesses were damaged and looted after police and protesters clashed @ @ @ @ @ Mueller and her friend didn ’ t think anything like that would happen in Naperville @ @ @ @ @ s peaceful protest morph into unrest .

Erin Hegarty, Sarah Freishtat, Suzanne Baker

People shattered windows at the Pandora in downtown Naperville and broke the glass on other shops Monday night. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
People shattered windows and looted multiple businesses in downtown Naperville Monday night as a protest through the central business district turned tense and violent.
About 9:30 p.m., a police sergeant told the crowd of 250 to 300 protesters marching through the downtown to leave. A short time later, several loud bangs were heard, people scattered and windows on multiple businesses were broken. People were seen looting some businesses.
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At least one firework was launched and some people threw water bottles at the police. Some in the crowd were heard urging others to stop breaking things and to leave the police alone, but the chaos continued. Planters and garbage cans were overturned. One officer was injured by what police called an “explosive device" - possibly a firework.
Windows were shattered at Barnes & Noble, Einstein’s Bros. Bagels, Lauren Rae jewelry, Lush cosmetics, and the Pandora jewelry store. Dozens of people gathered at the back of the Apple store and unsuccessfully tried to gain entry. Anderson’s bookshop across the street was not damaged.
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Naperville police Cmdr. Mike Son said they had a report of a stabbing and a person was taken by ambulance from Aurora Avenue north of downtown.
A large crowd tried to break into the back of the Apple store in downtown Naperville around 10 p.m. Monday. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
A helicopter flew overhead shining a spotlight on groups of people throughout the downtown.
While people entered businesses unabated, two armored Kane County sheriff vehicles rolled north on Main Street through the heart of Naperville’s posh downtown. The armored vehicles were joined by several officers on foot and Naperville police cars behind them. Police did not deploy tear gas, Son said.
By 11 p.m., several dozen police with shields and wearing helmets and masks, standing with an armored truck, blocked off Main Street just south of Jefferson Avenue. Only a few scattered people remained in the downtown and the violence seemed to have stopped.
“Police are still handling the situation downtown and still responding to incidents and working to try to keep downtown businesses and residents safe,” city spokeswoman Linda LaCloche said.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether police made any arrests.
City Councilwoman Judy Brodhead called the events “shocking and heartbreaking.”
Some businesses were boarded up earlier in the day, including Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House, the Apple store, Naper Nuts & Sweets, Allegory restaurant and others. Workers continued to board up some shops as protesters marched peacefully in the evening.
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Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico declared a state of emergency and set a 9 p.m. curfew as hundreds of protesters filled the downtown Monday night, just hours after a similar protest brought more than 800 people to the same area in the afternoon.
At the evening rally, protesters marched through the downtown chanting “no justice, no police, prosecute the police.” Organizers repeatedly called for participants to remain peaceful, and things remained relatively calm until about 30 minutes after the curfew.
Windows were shattered in the Barnes and Noble in downtown Naperville Monday evening. (Sarah Freishtat / Naperville Sun)
Ashley Mueller said she stayed with her friend in downtown Naperville Monday, thinking it would be safer than her home in Aurora. Seventeen people were arrested and several businesses were damaged and looted after police and protesters clashed in Aurora Sunday night. Mueller and her friend didn’t think anything like that would happen in Naperville, then watched Monday’s peaceful protest morph into unrest.
“For me to see (law enforcement) and huge tucks outside, I was terrified,” she said.
The intersection of Washington and Chicago streets was blocked by people standing or kneeling in the street about 7 p.m. The group then headed north on Washington Street, turned west and snaked its way up and down downtown streets before returning to Washington and Chicago about an hour later.
Naperville police officers filled the area, including some on the rooftop of the Barnes & Noble store building at the intersection where the crowd was gathered.
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Citing “widespread incidents of violence, vandalism and stealing occurring throughout the greater Chicagoland area," the mayor set a curfew that will remain in place until 6 a.m. Tuesday, a statement from the city said.
“The Naperville Police Department is prepared to respond to incidents as they arise with the aid of other law enforcement agencies,” Chirico’s statement said. “All residents are asked to stay home for their safety or only travel for essential work during this time.”
Protesters fill two lanes of northbound Washington Street in downtown Naperville Monday in a rally responding to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and to events all over the country in which black people have been targeted by the police. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)
City officials and downtown businesses have been preparing all day for the possibility for violence, with many spending hours boarding up windows and some planning to spend the night in their businesses in an effort to protect them.
The evening unrest followed a separate, peaceful rally earlier in the day.
The city shut down the municipal center about noon Monday, and issued an alert advising stores, restaurants and other downtown businesses to close early just in case the 3 p.m. march sparked the kind of violence seen in downtown Chicago and Aurora and in a number of suburban communities.
The rally, however, took place without incident, with protesters chanting “I can’t breathe” and “No justice, no peace, no racist police” in response to the death of George Floyd, a Minneapolis man killed while he was being arrested last week.
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Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico, center, joins protesters Monday in taking a knee outside the city's police station to demonstrate opposition to police violence like that in which George Floyd was killed last week in Minneapolis. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
The evening crowds shouted similar messages — “Black lives matter” and “Say his name: George Floyd” — with the help of microphones and speakers.
Christian Lazcano, a 22-year-old Warrenville resident, said he joined the protest to fight for the rights of all minorities.
“I am Mexican and I’ve seen what is happening at ICE detention centers," he said. "My people have suffered too, and I feel for my black brothers and sisters. This can happen to anyone and it should not happen to anyone.”
Lozcano said he was also at the protest held Sunday in Naperville’s Cantore Park. “I hope people understand we’re not playing games anymore," he said. "There’s a pandemic and everyone is supposed to be home, but this is bigger than that.”
Marchers in the afternoon event dressed mostly dressed in black and many appeared to be college age or slightly older. They wound their way through downtown before proceeding to the city’s municipal building on Eagle Street and police station on Aurora Avenue.
Accompanying the group was Naperville Mayor Steve Chirico, Councilmen Benny White and Patrick Kelly and City Manager Doug Kriger.
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Protesters fill the intersection of Washington Street and Chicago Avenue Monday, June 1, 2020, to draw attention to the death of George Floyd and the issue of black people targeted by police racism. (Suzanne Baker / Naperville Sun)
The first stop was at the municipal center, where several people spoke to the crowd. Among them was Regina Brent, president and founder of the Unity Partnership, which is dedicated to the goal of police and community working in tandem to deal with issues.
Brent encouraged the protesters to continue the fight.
There will be no peace until there is "equity and equality in schools, police departments and governments that preside over DuPage County,” she said.
Prior to the march, Brent said she was encouraged by the number of young people who showed up. “I am proud of them,” she said. “They’re the ones who can bring about change.”
After the speeches, the group headed west to the Naperville police station as officers blocked intersections to protect protesters walking in the street.
Meghan Howard, 21, and Erin Moran, 20, both Naperville residents, said they joined the march to help put a spotlight on the inequity in how police treat the races.
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“I’m here trying to amplify the voices of the black community and those who are oppressed,” Howard said.
A change needs to be made, Moran said. “If you’re not protesting, you’re not using your privilege in the right way,” she said.
When the group arrived to find the entrance to the police station closed, participants took a knee in front of the police line and called for the mayor to join them in solidarity. Chirico did so, as did White and a Naperville Park District police officer.
Protesters gather outside the Naperville police station Monday afternoon as part of a march to draw attention to death of George Floyd, reportedly at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
After kneeling, Chirico spoke to the crowd.
“You are making a difference, but we have work to do,” Chirico said. “Others will be joining you soon. They have a different agenda, and it’s not social justice. It’s destruction and damage.”
Chirico said he wants to create a city commission dealing with human rights issues.
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But protesters said that wasn’t enough, and asked the mayor, city leaders and members of the police department what they were doing to stand with black people. The group repeatedly and passionately urged members of the Naperville Police Department to “take a knee.”
“I’m not going to be silent anymore,” a 20-year-old woman from Naperville, a college student, yelled. “I’ve always been raised to respect cops so nothing happens to me, and that’s not working.”
She later said it is important for the police to kneel with the group to show they stand with them.
Protesters gather on Eagle Street near the Naperville Municipal Center Monday afternoon to listen to speakers address the racism they see in the community. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
“You guys can take off your uniforms, we can’t take off the color of our skin,” a man in the crowd yelled to the line of police officers.
White, the first black person elected to the Naperville City Council, said it was wrong for it to take so long for that to happen. But, the important thing is, he said, “We’re here. I’m here.”
Police block off a street in downtown Naperville Monday night. (Erin Hegarty / Naperville Sun)
In addition to attending rallies, “the very best thing you could do is go to the ballot box,” White said.
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“Get people in a position that can make a difference, make a change,” he said.
Just before the group walked back east to downtown Naperville, a police officer told a protester, “I am on your side," and embraced her in a hug.
ehegarty@tribpub.com
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