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Chicago DNC protesters breach security fence near where Bidens set to appear

Chris Benson & Allen Cone | UPI — Mon, 19 Aug 2024 23:49:12 +0000

Aug. 19 (UPI) — As the Democratic National Convention opened in Chicago on Monday, police already have arrested several demonstrators, including some who breached a security fence.

Protesters broke through the barricades on the north side of the United Center on Monday afternoon. On Sunday, a man and woman were arrested during a protest march.

Four people were arrested on Monday, ABC reported.

Chicago police officers in riot gear were called to handle the situation as Capitol Police wearing gas masks were in the area, WLS-TV reported. They formed a barricade to block the breached fence and pulled protesters from the fencing inside the secured area.

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Source: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/08/19/Democratic-National-Convention-protest-arrested-Chicago-police/1171724084915/

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Border Patrol intercepts more than 1,000 pounds of meth, cocaine chemicals from China

Mike Heuer | UPI — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 23:36:59 +0000

April 16 (UPI) — Customs and Border Protection officers in Chicago on Thursday seized a shipment from China containing methamphetamine precursor and a cocaine cutting agent, the CBP announced Tuesday.

A narcotics detection dog named Aldo helped CBP officers discover and detain 26 boxes of unknown powders that subsequent testing showed were 1,117 pounds of meth precursor and 225 pounds of cocaine cutting agent, agents said.

“Our ability to collect intelligence and the experience and knowledge of our officers were key in stopping these shipment,” said LaFonda Sutton-Burke, field operations director of the CBP’s Chicago field office.

CBP spokesman Steven Bansbach told UPI the shipment from Shenzhen, China, arrived via air cargo with Wood Dale, Ill., as its destination. Wood Dale is about 25 miles northwest of Chicago.

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Source: https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2024/04/16/China-meth-cocaine-chemicals-CBP-Chicago/2471713302210/

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Election 2020: Police in cities nationwide bracing for potential unrest in days before, after Nov. 3

Stephanie Pagones | Fox News — Sat, 31 Oct 2020 16:32:25 +0000

Many police departments hoping for the best, planning for the worst around Election Day.

The backdrop of a summer of civil unrest in America’s largest cities and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic looms large as motivated voters prepare to submit their ballots for president in less than two weeks.

Police departments – many of which saw days, weeks, and even monthslong anti-police brutality protests and riots this summer – said they are hoping for the best when voters hit the polls on Nov. 3, but are also preparing for the worst in the days before and after.

New York police take security measures as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives to vote at the Beckman Hill International School in New York City on Nov. 8, 2016. (Photo by Volkan Furuncu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

“There is no secret that this election is more contentious than in years’ past,” said New York Police Department’s Chief of Department, Terence Monahan, during a Tuesday press conference covering election preparedness. The NYPD is one of many departments throughout the country with a plan in case any protests devolve into criminal activity.

THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION COMES DOWN TO THESE 9 STATES

Chicago, much like New York City, has seen spurts of civil unrest, including devastating looting downtown. Its police department is now working with several city agencies in a coordinated effort to be prepared for any fallout, whether at the polls or on the streets, during the election period.

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said at a recent news conference that police and emergency officials are training to make sure they’re ready “regardless of whatever scenario happens on Election Day.”

Police officers inspect a damaged Best Buy store in Chicago after parts of the city suffered from widespread looting and vandalism over the summer. (Getty Images)

“Many cities across the country are doing similar planning,” he said last week. “We are all in conversations with our counterparts across the country about what we might expect, but everything is uncertain, and so we’re trying as best we can to anticipate any hazard that might happen, including a weather hazard, snow might happen in our city, along with anything related to protests, embedded agitators that might loot or cause violence or destroy property.”

Even without the prevalent unrest in certain parts of the country, this year’s election will nonetheless look different. People have the option of voting early and by mail, and officials anticipate clear results might take days, if not weeks.

Here are what some police departments in big cities have to say about their plans to best ensure every American stays safe before, during, and after Election Day.

MIAMI

Miami Police Chief Jorge Colina told Fox News this week that it was “difficult to tell” what kind of unrest – if any – the city will face in the days leading up to the election.

“We’re going to have more people working, a bigger, more robust uniformed presence. And then we’re going to have some undercover officers that will go by polling places,” he said.

Colina said the city will also be prepared with groups of officers who could mobilize at short notice, “especially those groups that want to create havoc.”

He told Fox News he believes the protests could look different depending on who is ultimately elected president.

“This state [Florida] is up for grabs, according to the polls. This is a state that both candidates covet, obviously, and that’s always been the case,” he said. “I can’t help but wonder that if that’s not going to inspire some fringe groups to want to do their part to win it for one or the other. And that’s where it gets a little dangerous because people, you know, they become extreme.”

His concerns, he said, are not based on any credible threats, but he plans to be ready, nonetheless.

“I know that these kinds of things exist, right? Where people want to come out and they want to create an issue and then blame it on the other. I mean, we’ve seen that we’ve seen that. So I’m hoping that that’s not the case again,” Colina said. “Again, I think we’re gonna be fine, but I recognize that, certainly, that could happen because this state is up for grabs.”

City of Miami police officers gear up as they prepare for any problems with protesters Sunday, May 31, 2020, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

During a press conference on Monday, Colina said the department had canceled vacation days and days off during the election period and will deploy additional officers. The department has also instructed every sworn officer, whether assigned to a desk job or patrol duty, to bring their uniform to work in case a greater police presence is needed.

“The truth is, this is a very contentious election cycle. Unlike we haven’t seen in many, many years,” he said during the news conference. “We have a very savvy community here who understands that some people may want to take actions into their own hands and try to and swing some votes. We just want to make sure that we don’t allow that to take place.”

NEW YORK CITY

Said to be the largest police force in the nation, the NYPD is directing its officers to be “prepared for deployment” beginning Oct. 26, as it braces for increasing protests in the lead-up to and following Election Day 2020, according to an internal memo from Oct. 13 obtained by Fox News.

NYPD brass are planning for potential civil unrest as New York City and the nation begin a contentious series of weeks, starting with the U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett and coupled with the upcoming presidential election, Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said in the internal announcement.

“This November 3rd will be the (sic) one of the most highly contested presidential elections in the modern era,” Shea wrote, noting that Barrett’s confirmation hearing was set to begin at the same time of the missive’s release. “Accordingly, we should anticipate and prepare for protests growing in size, frequency, and intensity leading up to the election and likely into the year 2021.”

Shea also noted that the election winner “may not be decided for several weeks,” and the confirmation hearing was also expected to continue for weeks.

During an interview later that day, Shea told local news station NY1 that the department wanted to be ready for anything.

A New York City police officer stands guard outside a polling station in a public school Nov. 2, 2010 in New York. (DON EMMERT/AFP via Getty Images)

“It would be nice if we had an uneventful fall season, but this is 2020,” he said during the Oct. 13 interview. “It’s really all-hands-on-deck across the NYPD and this is really about, listen everyone is well aware of the climate right now in this country, certainly here in this city and the election coming up and it’s our job to prepare for the worst and hopefully it’s not needed.”

Accordingly, the NYPD has instructed hundreds of officers to come to work in uniform and ready for duty beginning on Oct. 26, Monahan said during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

PORTLAND

Portland police officers push protesters past a dumpster fire during a dispersal from in front of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in the early morning on August 21, 2020 in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Nathan Howard/Getty Images)

No stranger to violent protests that have, at times, devolved into riots, Portland Police Bureau is working with Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office and will be upping law enforcement staffing during and following the election period “as a precaution,” the department said in a press release last week.

“In the past, some individuals and groups have gathered and marched following the election results, both in celebration and sometimes because they are angered or upset. In some instances, significant damage was done to local businesses, which did not change the election outcome, but hurt our community members,” the release states. “While we promote and support the exercise of the First Amendment rights to assemble and engage in free speech, engagement in criminal activity will not be tolerated.”

PPB officials said they will not tolerate any demonstrators blocking pedestrian and vehicular traffic, lighting fires, “vandalizing and damaging property,” illegal use of weapons and violence.

“We’re just trying to prepare and coordinate to increase safety during that time,” Officer Derek Carmon, a PPB spokesperson, told Fox News on Monday. “We’ve seen in the past where people come out because they’re either excited about the election results or they’re completely unhappy with the election results and they come down causing damage and things like that in the past. So we’re just trying to be prepared for that by having more officers available.”

Carmon said the department is not allowing officers to take any vacation days during and in the days following the election period, but had not established specific requirements of personnel during that time.

PPB Chief Chuck Lovell said in a prepared statement that this election season “has increased fear and uncertainty for many of our community members.”

“We want our community to know we are prioritizing public safety by adding resources and collaboration during this important time. We ask for the public to help us by reporting criminal activity, staying informed, and engaging in lawful activities. Together, we can achieve a safe election season in Portland,” Lovell said.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Oregon city’s election-related safety and security measures can visit the Multnomah County Elections website.

SEATTLE

In gearing up for the election period, Seattle Police Department set a limit to the time off allowed for personnel around the time of Election Day “to ensure the department is able to adequately provide public safety services at any events, gatherings or demonstrations related to the election,” said SPD spokesperson Sgt. Randall Huserik.

Huserik also said SPD recently launched its Community Response Group, to “dynamically deploy to unplanned large-scale events and ensure SPD is able to quickly respond to 911 emergencies,” in case such a response is needed.

ORLANDO

Though not particularly known for experiencing unrest in recent months, Orlando Police Department officials are working with the Supervisor of Elections office to ensure the election period goes smoothly, Sgt. David Baker, a spokesperson for OPD told Fox News.

“The Supervisor of Elections does have a protocol in place to contact law enforcement if individuals are disruptive and unruly and violating Florida statutes related to voting, including the 150-foot no-solicitation zone near the entrance of polling places,” Baker wrote in an emailed statement.

Additional information was not provided.

MINNEAPOLIS

In this May 29, 2020, photo, a check-cashing business burns during protests in Minneapolis. Protests continued following the death of George Floyd, who died after being restrained by Minneapolis police officers on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Minneapolis is also no stranger to civil unrest, which rocked the city in the wake of the alleged police-related death of local resident, George Floyd. Floyd, a Black man, died at the end of May after a White police officer held his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, despite his shouts that he couldn’t breathe. Days of protests and destruction in the city followed.

Minneapolis Police Department’s public information officer, John Elder, said in an email to Fox News the department continues to “plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

“We are aware of current and future possible flashpoints that present challenges on both a local and national level,” Elder said. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners, local, regionally, and federally in order to properly respond to situations as they unfold. Additionally, we are keeping lines of communication open with the communities we serve and working with everyone we can to ensure 1st Amendment rights are preserved and providing a safe environment for all.”

Elder could not provide any more specific details regarding the department’s plans.

CHICAGO

Superintendent David Brown said during a press conference earlier this month that the police department and several other city agencies have scheduled several tabletop exercises in the lead-up to Election Day to ensure officials were prepared for whatever might happen.

The department, he said, was “making sure that we are in our neighborhoods in a very strong posture to make sure our, not only our First Amendment, but that our assets, that our critical infrastructure, that our retail corridors are all protected from any wrongdoers.”

Just months ago, caravans of looters descended upon Chicago’s Magnificent Mile, where they looted and destroyed property just hours after allegedly false information about a police-involved shooting spread. The looters coordinated their efforts through social media, Brown said at the time.

The police department has now prepared for similar instances, as well as any other election-related crimes, by assigning specific groups to oversee protests and protect “critical infrastructure,” Brown said at last week’s election-related press conference.

CPD has also extended certain officers’ shifts and canceled the days off for those members who have been assigned to the specific teams, he said.

Brown noted that he believed there was a “coordinated effort” during summer protests “to embed agitators” within the otherwise peaceful demonstrations. He’s planning, he said, in case that’s also a feature of election-related protests.

“So from those lessons learned from over the summer, we are planning for that to be a feature of peaceful protests: a slight embedment of people who have no intention of protesting but every intention of committing crime,” Brown said. “So, instead of being caught off-guard we are planning for that to happen and we have operations in place to ensure that they don’t destroy property, that they don’t cause any further violence and that they’re held accountable.”

PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement provided to Fox News that the department is working with city agencies to protect the “propriety” of the election.

On the local level, Philly PD and other agencies are preparing “for all possible scenarios for Election Day,” whether before, during or after, she wrote. In addition to working with federal prosecutors, Outlaw said PPD will be “embedding Assistant District Attorneys with our officers to work as co-respondents, if called upon.”

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“We will ensure enhanced security measures, conduct advance training and ensure adequate staffing are present throughout the election operation,” she wrote. “It is paramount to myself, the Mayor, and the City Commissioners that we coordinate a unified command group, protecting the community for election safety.”

Stephanie Pagones is a Digital Reporter for FOX Business and Fox News. Follow her on Twitter at @steph_pagones.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/us/election-president-police-protest-preparation

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Black Lives Matter Chicago Organizer Defends Looting: ‘That’s Reparations’

Khaleda Rahman — Sun, 16 Aug 2020 07:15:07 +0000

A Black Lives Matter Chicago organizer has defended the mass looting that took place in the city early Monday, calling it “reparations.”

Ariel Atkins spoke outside a police station in the South Loop on 18th and South State Street on Monday, where protesters had gathered to call for the release of those who were arrested.

“I don’t care if somebody decides to loot a Gucci or a Macy’s or a Nike because that makes sure that that person eats. That makes sure that that person has clothes,” Atkins said, according to NBC Chicago.

“That’s reparations. That is reparations. Anything they want to take, take it because these businesses have insurance. They’re going to get their money back. My people aren’t getting anything.”

Atkins also hit back at Rev. Jesse Jackson, who tweeted earlier on Monday that the looting that had taken place in Chicago was “morally wrong.”

He wrote: “This act of pillaging, robbing & looting in Chicago was humiliating, embarrassing & morally wrong. It must not be associated with our quest for social justice and equality.”

But Atkins maintained that Jackson “has nothing to do with Black Lives Matter.”

She added: “Jesse Jackson was not there for the creation of Black Lives Matter. Jesse Jackson can keep his opinions to himself.”

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During a news conference on Monday, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said more than 400 officers had been deployed to stop the mass looting and unrest that broke out in the hours after police shot a man in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side on Sunday.

He said more than 100 people were arrested for charges including looting, disorderly conduct, and battery against police.

Authorities said misinformation circulated that the person shot on Sunday was a child and social media posts had encouraged looting.

Rev Jesse Jackson Sr@RevJJackson

This act of pillaging, robbing & looting in Chicago was humiliating, embarrassing &morally wrong. It must not be associated with our quest for social justice and equality. #DrKing, #MedgarEvers & #JohnLewis, our martyrs, cry together in shame. #StopTheViolence #SaveTheChildren

Police identified the man as Latrell Allen, 20, and said he was shot after opening fire on officers first. They said a gun was recovered at the scene.

The shooting is under investigation, but the Chicago Police Department has said that nobody camera footage captured the incident in the 5700 block of South Racine Avenue.

Allen is now facing attempted murder charges and was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail Tuesday, The Chicago Tribune reported.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot condemned the looting during a news conference on Monday.

“These were not poor people engaged in petty theft to feed themselves and their families. This was straight-up felony criminal conduct,” she said. “This was an assault on our city.”

Lightfoot called for those arrested amid the unrest to be held accountable and said resources were being deployed and measures taken to protect Chicago’s neighborhoods.

In a statement, Black Lives Matter Chicago condemned Lightfoot for reserving her criticism for looters and not for the officers who shot a Black man.

“The mayor clearly has not learned anything since May, and she would be wise to understand that the people will keep rising up until the CPD is abolished and our Black communities are fully invested in,” it said, referring to the unrest in the city that broke out in the wake of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis.

The statement added: “Over the past few months, too many people—disproportionately Black and Brown—have lost their jobs, lost their income, lost their homes, and lost their lives as the city has done nothing and the Chicago elite have profited.

“When protesters attack high-end retail stores that are owned by the wealthy and service the wealthy, that is not “our” city and has never been meant for us.

“The Mayor cannot expect people to play by her rules as she refuses to treat them with basic dignity. These protests can only end when the safety and wellbeing of our communities is finally prioritized.”

A demonstrator holds a sign during a protest outside the 7th District station of the Chicago Police Department on August 11, 2020, in Chicago, Illinois. SCOTT OLSON/GETTY IMAGES

Source: https://www.newsweek.com/black-lives-matter-chicago-defends-looting-reparations-1524502

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Chicago Business Owners Fear Impact of More Looting

Jeffrey Rodack — Wed, 12 Aug 2020 01:24:14 +0000

A window is shattered at a Timberland store along Michigan Avenue after it was looted on August 10, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Chicago continues to brace for more looting as business owners fear the long-term impact of the unrest.

The Wall Street Journal reported that hundreds of looters responded to posts on social media and descended on Chicago’s upscale Magnificent Mile and other shopping areas early Monday.

People smashed windows, stole from stores, and clashed with police.

The looting was touched off by a shooting that happened around 2:30 p.m. Sunday when Chicago police attempted to confront a man matching the description of a person seen with a gun.

The man ran and shot at pursuing officers, police said. Officers fired back and wounded him. The man was hospitalized and is expected to recover.

But the looting has left its toll on business owners, who have fought to survive the stay-at-home orders brought on by the coronavirus and looting in late May triggered by George Floyd’s death, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The newspaper noted businesses now may be reluctant to rebuild, fearing they won’t be protected. People may not feel safe shopping, dining, and going to the theater downtown.

“There’s a limit to how many times retailers are willing to be kicked,” said Rob Karr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “It will be difficult after retailers who have invested millions in reopening to have to do it again.”

And Jack Lavin, president of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, said: “The more incidents we have like this, the more perception grows of the Central Business District being unsafe.”

Source: https://www.newsmax.com/us/chicago-violence-police-looting/2020/08/11/id/981620/

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Aftermath of looting in downtown Chicago: 13 cops injured, 2 people shot, more than 100 arrests, Mag Mile trashed

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 20:42:55 +0000

Clean up at Best Buy

Workers clean up merchandise boxes outside the Best Buy store on North Avenue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood following looting on Aug. 10, 2020. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early Monday, smashing windows, looting stores, confronting police, and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers, authorities said.

More than 100 people were arrested as of 9 a.m., according to Chicago police Superintendent David Brown. Thirteen officers were injured during the unrest, including a sergeant who was hit by a bottle. A civilian and private security guard were shot and wounded.

“What occurred in our downtown and surrounding communities was abject criminal behavior, pure and simple,” Mayor Lori Lightfoot said. “And there cannot be any excuse for it. Period.”

It took police officers roughly four hours to get the downtown back under control, leading to finger-pointing across the political spectrum and calls for the Illinois National Guard to once again help quell unrest in the country’s third-largest city.

Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins, who said he was on Michigan Avenue from midnight to 4 a.m., described a scene in which officers were overwhelmed by looters and apparently did not have much of a plan for restoring order. He criticized Lightfoot for failing to develop an effective strategy following looting incidents in May and June.

“The real question today is, where was the strategy? What was the decision making at the highest levels?” Hopkins said. “That means the police superintendent and the mayor, who’s a very hands-on mayor when it comes to these kinds of decisions.”

City officials said the seeds for the violent crime spree were sown on social media Sunday afternoon following an officer-involved shooting in the Englewood neighborhood. Officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man Sunday after he fired shots at them while being chased, authorities said.

The man was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and is expected to survive, Brown said.

The Civilian Office Police Accountability, the city agency that investigates all officer-involved shootings, released a statement confirming Brown’s assertion that the wounded male is an adult. Some social media accounts that authorities say fueled the unrest referred to him as a 15-year-old boy.

There is nobody camera video to support the police department’s account and authorities are seeking security footage from residents in the neighborhood.

The lack of immediate, independent corroboration drew skepticism from several community groups, including Black Lives Matter Chicago. The group, which planned a protest outside a near South Side police precinct Monday night, blasted Lightfoot for accepting the police version of events and not doing more to institute reforms.

The organization also suggested the man was right to flee authorities, given the department’s history of racism and abusive tactics. They also criticized the officers for pursuing the man in light warnings from the U.S. Department of Justice about the dangerous turn foot chases can take.

“In a predictable and unfortunate move, she did not take this time to criticize her officers for shooting yet another Black man,” the organization’s statement read. “Lightfoot instead spent her time attacking ‘looters.’ The mayor clearly has not learned anything since May, and she would be wise to understand that the people will keep rising up until the CPD is abolished and our Black communities are fully invested in.”

More than an hour after the shooting, police, and witnesses said a crowd of about 30 people faced off against officers holding a police line near 56th and Aberdeen streets. During a scuffle, one officer was hit with pepper spray and a second officer suffered a minor shoulder injury.

Two people were arrested and a police car window was shattered by a brick, police added.

A large number of officers cordoned off streets in nearly every direction until the mood of the crowd cooled off. But by that time, Brown said, messages began appearing on social media encouraging people to head downtown.

The looting and vandalism began shortly after, with people streaming in and out of high-end stores. Some could be seen throwing merchandise into rental trucks and other large vehicles before driving away.

“This was not an organized protest,” Brown said. “Rather this was an incident of pure criminality. This was an act of violence against our police officers and against our city.”

The looting began shortly after midnight as people darted through broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue carrying shopping bags full of merchandise. Cars dropped off more people as the crowd grew.

One woman with shopping bags in her hands fell on the sidewalk as an officer was chasing her. Another woman appeared to have been pepper-sprayed. A rock was thrown at a squad car.

At least five guns were recovered, officials said.

The scene was reminiscent of the looting that occurred earlier this summer amid the response to the killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Both Lightfoot and Brown implicitly criticized Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, saying there weren’t consequences for looters earlier this summer.

Lightfoot, who endorsed Foxx for reelection, became angry when asked follow-up questions about Foxx’s handling of cases and told a reporter not to bait her.

“What we’re saying is, as a result of what happened last night, there have to be consequences,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve got teams of people that are aggressively out there identifying the people responsible, looking at the plates, and we’re going to bring them to justice.

“But when we do make those arrests, our expectation is that this is going to be treated with the level of seriousness it should be. Period,” she said. “Don’t try to bait us, mischaracterize, pit one against the other, we’re not playing that. We’re in a serious situation here and we need a serious response. That’s what we’re saying.”

Foxx pushed back with her own news conference a few hours later, denouncing any finger-pointing in her direction blaming Monday night’s looting on her response to Floyd unrest. She encouraged prosecutors to dismiss misdemeanor charges – and felony charges, in certain cases – related to the protests, but her office approved the vast majority of felony arrests brought by the Chicago Police Department, she said.

Those cases are making their way through the courts, slowed by the pandemic and typical pace of the Cook County justice system.

In denouncing the looting and promising to be tough on those responsible, Foxx insisted the cause of Monday night’s unrest cannot be conflated with her office’s response to protests earlier this year. The situation also must be viewed, she said, amid the backdrop of a global health crisis, record unemployment and nationwide protests against systemic racism.

“The reality is that as we seek to figure out what is happening in a truly unprecedented summer, it requires us to ask tough questions, to deep deliberations, and to put all hands of deck,” Foxx said. “All hands on deck means rather than pointing fingers, work together.”

The looting seemed to be centered in Streeterville and North Michigan Avenue, but some looting was reported on State Street in the Loop and on the Near North Side. By 4 a.m. police appeared to be getting things under control.

But some vandalism continued into the daylight hours, and the CTA suspended train and bus service into downtown during the morning rush, while the Illinois state police blocked off ramps from expressways. Bridges across the Chicago River were raised, except for the one on LaSalle Street for emergency vehicles.

People were seen running out of a PNC Bank, its windows smashed, at Huron and State streets. Down the block, other stores, including a Sally Beauty Supply, had been cleaned out by vandals. Other parts of downtown, including around Grand and Wabash avenues, were littered with trash.

Crowds repeatedly tried to bash in the windows of the Omega watch store at Delaware Place and Michigan Avenue.

“The watch store,” one officer said. “They’re gonna get it eventually.”

A group of people went in and out through a broken window of the Louis Vuitton store along Walton Place across the street from the Drake Hotel. A squad car drove by and the group ran away.

But as the car rode off, at least one person tried to go into the shop. The police returned.

“Go home!” One cop shouted.

“You go home!” Someone shouted, apparently back at the officer.

Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin called for the National Guard to be brought in. The Guard was used to help enforce street closures during looting earlier this summer, marking the first time in more than a half-century that a Chicago mayor had asked for the Guard’s help in quelling unrest.

“Once again, Illinois government has failed to protect its residents and businesses,” the Western Springs legislator said in a statement. “It is time to bring in the National Guard and accept any and all federal assistance to stop the chaos that is destroying our state. No more excuses. No more failures.”

The Illinois National Guard has not received any requests for support at this time.

Lightfoot, who has fought President Donald Trump’s insistence that federal troops are the best way to restore order in troubled American cities, said she will not seek military assistance. She predicted her refusal would be ridiculed by the president, who has sent federal law enforcement agents to Chicago to help with its rising crime rate.

“No, we do not need federal troops in Chicago, period, full stop,” Lightfoot said. “I’m sure the president will have his way with this incident but I’m calling upon him to do the things that we do need (such as gun control).”

City officials will restrict access to the downtown from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. for time being. The Police Department has canceled all previously scheduled days off, and Brown has assigned a special team of detectives to review video footage.

“I don’t care, I do not care, whatever justification was given for this,” Lightfoot said. “There is no justification for criminal behavior, ever. You have no right to take and destroy the property of others. Our residents deserve to be safe. Our businesses deserve to understand and enjoy safety and security of their property and their employees. Our police officers deserve to be able to do their job without having to worry about shots being fired, projectiles being thrown, and being maced. This is not anywhere near acceptable.”

Check back for updates.

pfry@chicagotribune.com

Source: https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-chicago-downtown-looting-20200810-3zwa3b7zzrc5vdyb4qjqywrjvu-story.html

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Looters damage property in Chicago, more than 100 arrested

Global News — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 21:06:51 +0000

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Trump discusses plan to combat rising crime across the US

Fox News — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 06:55:14 +0000

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Jussie Smollett indicted on 16 felony counts following Chicago attack allegations

Mariah Haas | Fox News — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 00:02:57 +0000

“Empire” actor Jussie Smollett was indicted Friday on 16 felony counts following his Chicago attack allegations.

A spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment. A lawyer for Smollett did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

CHICAGO POLICE BLAST JUSSIE SMOLLETT ‘PHONY ATTACK’: ‘BOGUS POLICE REPORTS CAUSE REAL HARM’

Earlier this week, it was revealed that the Chicago Police opened an internal investigation into Smollet’s case.

In a statement to Fox News on Thursday, a spokesperson for the force confirmed that “an internal investigation has been opened.”

“I would like to point out that a lot of the information out there was inaccurate and there were numerous agencies involved in this investigation,” the statement continued. “As a standard procedure when there are allegations of information being leaked, an internal investigation has been opened and we are also looking at our vulnerabilities.”

JUSSIE SMOLLETT’S ALLEGED CHICAGO ATTACK DETAILS UNFOLD: A TIMELINE OF EVENTS

In January, Smollett told police that he was attacked by two masked men as he was walking home from a sandwich shop in the early morning on Jan. 29. The actor, who is black and gay, said the masked men beat him, made derogatory comments and yelled, “This is MAGA country” — an apparent reference to President Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again” — before fleeing.

But that isn’t how police say it all went down.

Smollett, who is accused of filing a false police report, was charged last month with felony disorderly conduct. After turning himself in, a judge set Smollett’s bond for $100,000 and he was released from jail. If convicted, he will face up to three years behind bars.

According to the Chicago Police Department, Smollett paid Abimbola “Abel” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo by check for a “phony attack” in order to take “advantage of the pain and anger of racism to promote his career.”

‘EMPIRE’ ACTOR JUSSIE SMOLLETT’S BOND SET AT $100G, JUDGE CALLS EVIDENCE AGAINST HIM ‘OUTRAGEOUS’

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said at a press conference last month that police found the “check that [Smollett] used to pay [two brothers]” to fake the beating, adding he paid them $3,500 “for the two of them in total, and then $500 upon return.”

He said the attack “was staged, the brothers had on gloves during the (air quotes) ‘staged attack’ where they punched him a little, but as far as we can tell, the scratching and bruising that you saw on [Smollett’s] face was most likely self-inflicted.”

Smollett has maintained his innocence. The actor’s legal counsel told Fox News after Smollett was accused of filing the fake police report that the nation “witnessed an organized law enforcement spectacle that has no place in the American legal system.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT’S LAWYERS BLAST AUTHORITIES, SAY ACTOR WAS ‘BETRAYED BY A SYSTEM THAT WANTS TO SKIP DUE PROCESS’

“The presumption of innocence, a bedrock in the search for justice, was trampled upon at the expense of Mr. Smollett and notably, on the eve of a Mayoral election,” his team continued.

“Mr. Smollett is a young man of impeccable character and integrity who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence betrayed by a system that apparently wants to skip due process and proceed directly to sentencing.”

Illinois attorney Rod Drobinski reviewed the indictment and told Fox News the grand jury hit Smollett with a separate count for every different crime he alleged had been perpetrated against him (eight in all) — to each of the officers he spoke with (two). Thus, the 16 total counts.

This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.

Fox News’ Sasha Savitsky and Julius Young and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jussie-smollett-indicted-on-16-felony-counts-following-chicago-attack-allegations

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