By 6 p.m., several hundred people had gathered in Logan Square Park with plans to march on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s home, although police barricades prevented them from getting too close.
MIRAR | Hundreds of protesters gather in Logan Square to demand justice from Adam Toledo
The group grew to thousands as they walked through the neighborhood and closed the intersection of six corners of Milwaukee, Diversey and Kimball around 7:30 p.m.
Many attendees said they were there to protest against a police system that simply doesn’t work and wanted the mayor to hear that message.
“On social media, there are a lot of people who still deny that this is even a problem, so if you stop showing it, the conversation stops,” said Chicago resident Gerald Parker.
The event was largely peaceful, but as it ended around ten in the evening, a small group of protesters still remaining in the streets began to quarrel with police.
FIRST VIDEO | Protesters clash with police in Logan Square
The night before, dozens took to the streets, protesting against police and demanding justice in Adam Toledo’s downtown and West Loop. A group marched from Millennium Park to Michigan Avenue to the Magnificent Mile.
Later, others made their way through West Loop. Both protests briefly blocked traffic and there was a protest right in front of the Chicago police headquarters.
“He raised his hands and was still murdered. So I have a question: what else could he have done?” said Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef of the Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice.
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“I want to tell Mom, I’m here with you in solidarity. We’ll fight you all the way,” said Gloria Pinex, whose son was killed by a Chicago police officer.
Nowhere has the reaction to this tape been more visceral than Little Village, the working-class Latin Quarter where Toledo was born and raised.
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After demanding to watch the video for weeks, residents cried openly in the street. Some said they could not be taken to see.
“When I saw the video today, something inside me died,” Kristian Armendiaz, Little Village Community Council, said. “I couldn’t even stand watching the whole video on my own. I felt like my childhood had just died.”
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“When they saw this video today, I thought of my three children. I thought of the teens, the young people of Little Village. We need to start funding the community,” said Maria Castillo, a resident of Little Village.
Before Thursday’s emotional events, the city and some businesses prepared for the possibility of violence. Windows were clogged and city vehicles were ready to block traffic, scenes reminiscent of last spring.
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