CHICAGO — Chicago’s mayor publicly apologizes over how the Laquan McDonald shooting was handled, and protesters respond with some of their largest crowds in calling on him to resign.
Hundreds walked through Chicago’s streets Wednesday, demanding Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel step down, despite a morning speech by Emanuel to the Chicago City Council where he called for “complete and total reform” of systems of police accountability. He said he’ll take responsibility for shootings like McDonald’s which happened during his time in office.
“The first step in that journey is my step, and I’m sorry,” Emanuel said.
At one point in his speech, Emanuel appeared to be near tears describing a meeting with young men who, as he put it, “had a history with the criminal justice system.”
“One young man asked me a simple question that gets to the core of what we’re talking about. He said, ‘Do you think the police would ever treat you the way they treat me? And the answer is no,” Emanuel said. “And that is wrong. And that has to change in this city. That has to come to an end now.”
Those words didn’t seem to sway protesters like Lamon Reccord.
“If it takes us take down Michigan (Avenue), take down State (Street), shut it down, we will do it. We will do it. We will not stop, because it’s one down and two to go,” Reccord said.
Reccord, who was garnered national attention for staring down officers during these protests, was detained by police soon after making those remarks, with other protesters blocking traffic and chanting “Let him go!” in response. He was soon released without being arrested.