Anti-violence protestors march to Chicago’s Wrigley Field to demand change

Aug 3, 2018

Dan Ryan Shutdown thegrio.com — CHICAGO, IL - JULY 07: An activist holds a sign during march along Chicago Dan Ryan Expressway to protest violence in the city on July 7, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. Anti-violence protesters aimed to shut down the northbound lanes of the major interstate in an effort to press public officials to address common sense gun laws, joblessness and access to quality education. (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski/Getty Images)

Anti-violence protestors took to the streets of Chicago to march for the “forgotten” people as tensions continue to rise in the troubled city.

Also at issue, protestors have called for Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson and Mayor Rahm Emanuel, to step down for their handling of racial incidents in communities of color.

Hundreds of protestors rallied to bring attention to the prolific gun violence in the city and marched through the city’s South and West sides, shutting down traffic before taking up residence outside of Wrigley as fans filed in to the stadium for a Cubs game.

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The march took place outside of the baseball field, “bringing the pain of so many forgotten residents to the affluent areas,” said organizer Rev. Gregory Livingston, the Chicago-Sun-Times reports.

“We came here to redistribute the pain in Chicago. People in this neighborhood don’t feel the pain we feel every day, so we brought it to their doorstep,” said activist and organizer Tio Hardiman.

Last month, thousands of anti-gun violence protesters, led by Father Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Catholic Church, crammed onto the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago and shut it down, carrying signs and chanting “Stop the killing” to protest the city’s gun violence epidemic and demand change.

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This time, the protestors are trying to send a message that wasn’t quite delivered during last month’s march, said former CPS Principal Troy LaRaviere, who is running against Emanuel for Mayor.

“We need to remove this administration.”

Chicago had 650 homicides in 2017, the most in the nation, according to USA Today. And as the weather gets warmer, gun violence has reportedly been on the rise in the city. So far, Chicago has had 252 homicides and 1,100 shootings in the first six months of this year.