Protests Continue In Chicago Day After Citywide Walkout

By Staff, www.nbcchicago.com

December 11, 2015
Resist!

Above Photo: From PopularResistance.org.

A staged“die-in” lasted 16 minutes, one minute for each time 17-year-old McDonald was shot by a Chicago police officer last year

Protesters descended on Chicago once again Thursday, the day after hundreds of demonstrators gathered in a citywide walkout that shut down several major streets in the city’s downtown, calling for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s resignation.

The first event happened around 8 a.m., when dozens of medical students from several organizations staged a “die-in” in front of City Hall. The group said it was protesting a “public health crisis of excessive police violence and complete lack of accountability by city leaders in the killing of Laquan McDonald.”

Protesters held signs that read “White coats for black lives” and “Rahm is not healthy for Chicago.”

The “die-in” lasted 16 minutes, one minute for each time 17-year-old McDonald was shot by a Chicago police officer last year.

Medical Students Stage ‘Die-In’ at City Hall

Protesters descended on Chicago once again Thursday to call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s resignation. Regina Waldroup reports. (Published Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015)

The release last month of dashcam video showing the 2014 killing of McDonald has set off weeks of largely peaceful protests and led to the dismissal of the city’s police chief.

At 2 p.m., a press conference was held outside Chicago Police Headquarters where community leaders lashed out at Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

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Chicago police crime survivors also gathered around 3:30 p.m. outside the Dirksen Federal Buildingto demand the DOJ “prosecute all criminal cops.”

The victims and their families were expected to meet with a representative for U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon at 4 p.m., according to a release from the Chicago Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression. The group has also planned a 5 p.m. rally after the meeting.

Protests Erupt After Mayor’s Speech

On Wednesday, Emanuel publicly apologized for the shooting death of McDonald and vowed to fix broken Chicago police practices, though many protesters argued one speech can’t fix decades of police corruption.

Published at 11:11 AM CST on Dec 10, 2015

Complete Coverage of the Laquan McDonald Case:

12/9/2015: Some in City Hall Knew of McDonald Video 2 Months After Shooting: Emails

12/9/2015: ‘Happened on My Watch’: Mayor Vows to Fix Police Corruption

12/9/2015: Poll: Half of Chicago Voters Think Emanuel Should Resign

12/8/2015: IPRA Asks Inspector General to Investigate McDonald Case

12/7/2015: Feds Launch Civil Rights Investigation into CPD Practices

12/7/2015: Dashcam Video Showing 2nd Police Shooting Released

12/7/2015: CPD’s Chief of Detectives Retires Suddenly

12/7/2015: Head of Independent Police Review Authority Resigns

12/7/2015: Justice Department to Investigate CPD

12/6/2015: Police Accounts Appear to Differ With McDonald Shooting Video