In recent weeks, Police Superintendent David Brown has repeatedly pointed out that the department takes all crime seriously, regardless of the color of the victims and the suspects.Ĭivil unrest following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers in 2020 prompted a similar debate in Chicago. The reminders of such history include the conviction of a white officer in the shooting death of Black teen Laquan McDonal d - which included the city’s monthslong legal battle to keep the video of the shooting from being made public - to the dismissal of cases against dozens of Blacks who were framed for drug crimes by a police officer. It’s a delicate issue in Chicago, where suspicion of the city and police dates back decades thanks to well-known incidents of torture of Black suspects and general mistrust. “Here on Planet Earth, in reality, we have a crisis in our city and we have to take action,” she said. Lightfoot, the city’s first Black female mayor, rejected accusations that the park restrictions or tighter curfew were an outsized response to the weekend killing. “For decades, our Black and Brown children have been made to feel they don’t belong in certain parts of our great city, and this is yet another example,” Sawyer said in a statement. The ACLU of Illinois said it would result in “unnecessary stops and arrests and further strain relations between (the police department) and young people of color.”Īlderman Roderick Sawyer, chair of the Aldermanic Black Caucus, on Monday called the mayor’s actions “unilateral and discriminatory.” The mayor’s approach prompted quick backlash. But, she said, those who do not abide “by clear directions on how they have to conduct themselves in public, we’re not going to hesitate to take action.” “My interest is not rounding up young people and throwing them in the back of a wagon,” Lightfoot said. Lightfoot said she expected people to abide by the restrictions, dismissing concerns that arrest or other penalties would be the city’s first means of enforcement. Perceptions that a major tourist area is dangerous “can be a deal breaker” as travelers decide where to go, said Sharon Zou, an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. The violence comes as Chicago, like most cities, is slowly seeing its downtown revitalize following the pandemic. Perceptions that a major tourist area is dangerous “can be a deal breaker” as travelers decide where to go, said Sharon Zou, an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.“We need to make sure they are safe and importantly that our young people understand and respect basic community norms, respect for themselves, respect for each other, and we must ensure that every one of our residents and visitors - no matter who they are or where they come from or how old they are - are able to safely enjoy our public spaces,” Lightfoot said at a news conference Monday. “We need to make sure they are safe and importantly that our young people understand and respect basic community norms, respect for themselves, respect for each other, and we must ensure that every one of our residents and visitors - no matter who they are or where they come from or how old they are - are able to safely enjoy our public spaces,” Lightfoot said at a news conference Monday. On Monday, Lightfoot also moved up the city’s 11 p.m. She ordered that minors won’t be allowed in Millennium Park unless accompanied by an adult after 6 p.m. CHICAGO (AP) - A clampdown on Chicago teens’ access to a popular downtown park and an earlier weekend curfew following the fatal shooting of a teenager has revived longstanding accusations that City Hall cares more about the city’s sparkling lakefront and downtown over neighborhoods where hundreds have been killed or hurt by gun violence.Ĭhicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the response was part of an effort to keep visitors and Chicagoans safe, including the city’s youth.
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