Family of teen shot by cop pushes leadership change

Squad-car footage was released late last month upon a judge’s order, and protests have taken place nearly daily since.

A protester yells during a demonstration outside the office of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel in Chicago, Illinois, United States, December 7, 2015.

“What we’re feeling in Chicago is the real feeling of America in itself, and that is injustice towards people of color and poor people in this country”, he said, adding that the “only way to keep things like what has happened to Laquan from happening is we must have the proper resources for economic development, for housing, for health care, for mental health”. Some of the protesters allege Emanuel helped hide the Laquan McDonald video until after the mayor was safely re-elected. Hunter says they will thank the public for demanding justice and change. A few activists with them wore T-shirts that read “Rahm Failed Us”.

McDonald’s mother was not in attendance because she’s “hurting and traumatized by the constant reminder and senseless death of her son”, Hunter said, referencing the video, which has been replayed on TV frequently.

Since the video’s release two weeks ago, McDonald’s death became another example in current debate over gun violence and treatment of African-Americans by the police.

They also called for a special prosecutor in the Laquan McDonald case against white Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, according to the local reports.

“I don’t know what they knew or when they knew it”, said Michael Robbins, attorney for the McDonald family.

Emanuel spokeswoman Shannon Breymaier was part of an e-mail chain questioning whether the city could release video of the shooting.

The family never wanted the video of Laquan McDonald’s death released. Van Dyke was arrested and charged with first-degree murder November 24, more than a year after the killing. Emanuel apologized this week that the incident occurred under his administration. These include setting up a task force to review police accountability, the appointment of a new head of the agency that investigates police misconduct and searching for a new police superintendent. “We’re going to continue dignified and disciplined non-violent protest until we see some action on these demands”.

“I hold Anita Alvarez accountable”, McDonald’s great uncle, Pastor Marvin Hunter, said surrounded by relatives during a Friday news conference at Grace Memorial Baptist Church.

Hunter described McDonald as a big, loving “jokester”, not a gangster, and said police should not judge young black men by their appearance. “In all fairness, we should give him a chance to fix the problem, not just oust him because there is a problem”, said Tonya Hunter, an Emanuel supporter. “He tried to make you laugh”.

Speakers at the Thompson Center rally included representatives of the Service Employees International Union, Black Lives Matter Chicago, clergymen and state and city elected officials.

Protesters once again filled City Hall Friday demanding change and investigations in Chicago.