By 6 p.m., several hundred people had gathered in Logan Square Park with plans to march to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s house nearby, though police barricades prevented them from getting too close.
KYK | Hundreds of protesters gather in Logan Square to demand justice for Adam Toledo
The group grew to thousands as they marched through the neighborhood and turned off the intersection of six corners between Milwaukee, Diversey and Kimball around 7:30 p.m.
Many attendees said they were there to protest against a police system that simply did not work, and they wanted the mayor to hear the message.
“On social media, there are a lot of people who deny that it’s even a problem. If you stop showing it, stop the conversation,” Chicago’s Gerald Parker said.
The event was largely peaceful, but when it came to an end around 10pm, a small group of protesters still lingering in the streets started fighting with the police.
RAW VIDEO | Protesters clash with police in Logan Square
The previous evening, dozens had taken to the streets, protesting police and demanding justice for Adam Toledo in the city center and in the West Loop. One group drove up from Millennium Park to Michigan Avenue to the Magnificent Mile.
Later, others made their way through the West Loop. Both protests briefly blocked traffic and then there was a protest right outside the Chicago police headquarters.
He raised his hands and was still killed. So I have a question: what more could he do? ‘ says Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef, Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice.
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“I want to tell Mom, ‘I’m here in solidarity with you. We’ll fight you all the way,” said Gloria Pinex, whose son was killed by a Chicago police officer.
Nowhere was reaction to the band more complicated than Little Village, the working-class Latino neighborhood where Toledo was born and bred.
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After residents demanded weekly to watch the video, residents sobbed openly on the street. Some said they could not keep an eye on themselves.
“When I saw the video today, something inside me was dying,” said Kristian Armendiaz, Little Village Community Council. “I couldn’t even watch the whole video alone. I felt like my childhood was just dying.”
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“When they saw the video today, I thought of my three children. I thought of the teens, the youth of Little Village. We need to start funding the community,” said Maria Castillo, a resident of Little Village.
Before the emotional events of Thursday, the city and some businesses were preparing for the possibility of violence. Windows were on board and city vehicles stood ready to stop traffic, scenes reminiscent of last spring.
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