Protesters in Chicago March Against the Police Killing of George Floyd
A heavy police presence followed Chicago’s protest against the police killing of George Floyd Friday evening.
Protesters marched north on State Street until they tried to turn east on Ohio Street, but were met with a wall of Chicago police officers blocking their path. The crowd yelled “Say his name, George Floyd!” as they confronted the line of officers.
This demonstration took place as similar protests erupted in cities across the U.S. responding to a video showing Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, blocking his ability to breathe for over 8 minutes and leading to his death. Floyd was accused of using a fake $20 bill at a local grocery store in Minneapolis. Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Chicago Public Schools teacher Amreen Khadeer confronted the officers, saying they should be joining the strike and that they were better than this.
“Chicago Police should walk with us," Khadeer said. "Chicago’s teachers strike all the time, why can’t you strike against the system? You’re part of a system that’s taking lives away and if you’re working today that means you’re supporting this. You’re supporting the deaths of all these black lives and these black lives matter. "
The protest continued to march north, reaching the intersection of Clark and Superior Street on the city’s Near North Side neighborhood, where an organizer gave a speech to the gathered crowd of demonstrators.
“To be heard in the revolution, you must participate in the revolution,” the organizer said into a megaphone while standing in the middle of the intersection. “We all got one target; that’s this [expletive] system oppressing us.”
“It’s a beautiful sight right here. What we see right now is a diverse group of people coming together for one cause.”
— Nicole Girten (@NicoleGirten) May 30, 2020
“It also just can’t stop today.”
“There’s a difference between talking about revolution and being about revolution.” #GeorgeFloydProtests pic.twitter.com/ZhXRLrz5nV
Protesters marched south after the speech, when a demonstrator spotted CPD Director Glen Brooks walking in a blue suit in the crowd.
“We’re going to watch very closely,” the demonstrator said to Brooks over a megaphone. “We know that your police are not going to keep us safe.”
Brooks declined to comment saying CPD is not holding interviews at this time.
