Chicagoans Shut Down Lake Shore Drive After Ferguson Grand Jury Decision
By Chuck Sudo in News on Nov 25, 2014 5:00PM
Local demonstrators have been on the streets of Chicago since last night protesting the grand jury decision in Ferguson, Missouri and police shootings in Chicago. Hundreds of protesters gathered outside Chicago Police headquarters at 35th Street and Michigan Avenue before the grand jury announced its decision not to indict Darren Wilson in the shooting death of Michael Brown. After the decision was made public, they marched on to Lake Shore Drive while police utilized the “leapfrog” crowd control strategy they used to steer the protests during the 2012 NATO summit. The marchers then took their protest to the Thompson Center.
Police eventually stopped the crowd from marching over the Chicago River as police blocked their access to the Franklin, Wells and LaSalle Street bridges. The demonstration shut down Wacker Drive as it headed east toward Michigan Avenue.
Some demonstrators were already assembled at Jackson and State Streets during the morning rush, while others have staged a 28-hour sit-in outside Mayor Emanuel’s office at City Hall. (Twenty-eight hours symbolizes how often a person of color is killed by police, according to protesters.)
City Hall is completely packed outside the Mayor's office #Chi2Ferguson for @BYP_100 workshops pic.twitter.com/Df1g7Crg9R
— Rachael P (@plussone) November 25, 2014