Chicago Protesters Disrupt Black Friday to Demand Justice for Laquan McDonald
Activists are marching throughout Chicago on Friday to protest the police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald last year and the subsequent attempted cover-up of his death by city officials.
The protests, which began at 11:00am and are set to disrupt the retail bonanza of Black Friday in one of Chicago’s biggest shopping districts, were organized after the release this week of a police dashcam video showing Officer Jason Van Dyke, who is white, firing 16 shots at the black teenager as he tried to walk away.
Actions began at Michigan Ave. and Wacker Drive and are poised to continue through the “Magnificent Mile” shopping district to disrupt and boycott retail activity.
“How many more videos?” the protesters chanted as they marched.
Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, which endorsed the protests, said Thursday, “When we take to the streets on Friday we will show the city that we intend to disrupt its economic center as we call on people of good will to join us in our fight for justice for Laquan and other victims of questionable and unjust police shootings in our city.”
“It is time to turn our pain into power,” Lewis said. She encouraged CTU members to take part in the actions to “express their outrage and dignity.”
Rev. Michael Pfleger, a pastor and prominent South Side activist, said Thursday that the actions will be “an opportunity for all of Chicago to come out, demonstrate their outrage and their anger in a nonviolent way, [and] interrupt the economic engine of Black Friday.”
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