Tensions Flare In Mt. Greenwood As Protests Over Fatal Off-Duty Police Shooting Continue

By aaroncynic in News on Nov 9, 2016 1:03AM

Demonstrators with both the Black Lives Matter and Blue Lives Matter movements held concurrent protests Tuesday night in Mount Greenwood in the wake of Chicago’s latest police shooting.

Over the weekend, an off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed Joshua Beal, an Indiana man who was with mourners in a funeral procession. Police say they approached Beal’s vehicle after it was found to be blocking a fire lane, while Beal’s family says the off-duty officer tried to run the car in which Beal was riding off the road. Tense demonstrations broke out over the weekend.

Those tensions continued Tuesday night as a large portion of Blue Lives Matter demonstrators turned up on the corner of 111th and Kedzie in the mostly-white neighborhood.

"Stay out of our f*cking neighborhood" "This is our neighborhood, go destroy your f*cking neighborhood" #MTG #racistsstayracist #JoshuaBeal https://t.co/nKEDFaidpt

— xian f'znger barrett (@xianb8) November 9, 2016

There had to be 200 police if not more.. out here in mt greenwood pic.twitter.com/fmr4OqkVGY

— Sarah Karp (@SSKedreporter) November 9, 2016

Chicagoist photographer Tyler LaRiveire said that Chicago Police and the CTA had set up a bus for Black Lives Matter demonstrators if they wanted to leave, but they chose to stay. Father Michael Pfleger also came to the demonstration, and some Blue Lives Matter protesters allegedly could be heard calling the St. Sabina Pastor a “traitor” and chanting to shoot him. Some also reportedly hurled racial epithets.

Just saw a white man yell "coons" at group of #BlackLivesMatter protestors in Mt. Greenwood. That wasn't even the worst of it. pic.twitter.com/ItX0MKpfRw

— Nereida Moreno (@nereidamorenos) November 9, 2016

Meanwhile, Chicago Bond Fund has announced that they have raised money for bail for Beal's brother, Michael Beal:

Thanks to your support & an anonymous donor, we have enough funds to post bond for #JoshuaBeal's brother Micheal!!!! https://t.co/yCJeItp5PL

— Chicago Bond Fund (@ChiBondFund) November 9, 2016