Officer Sought Taser Before Laquan McDonald Shooting

What has enraged many leaders, pastors and members of Chicago’s black community was a police dashcam video showing McDonald, 17, being shot on a city street past year by Officer Jason Van Dyke, who last month was charged with first-degree murder.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s political career has hit a new low – Democratic presidential candidate Sen.

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Demonstrators protesting police shootings of black men confronted last-minute holiday shoppers and travelers in California and the Midwest this week, seeing the crowds as an opportunity to draw attention to their cause.

In what has been dubbed “Black Christmas”, about 100 protesters blocked traffic along Michigan Avenue, with plans to march up the Magnificent Mile, the city’s toniest shopping district. “If I remain silent, I become an oppressor”.

“It’s no stress. The police and the protesters are very well-behaved”, he said.

“When one part of Chicago is affected, all of Chicago is affected”, one of the demonstrators, Alex Thiedmann, said of the “Black Christmas” demonstration on North Michigan Avenue.

The Christmas Eve day protest was the second major demonstration since Thanksgiving weekend on Michigan Avenue, where about 200 activists on Thursday condemned how local officials took more than a year to release a police video showing an officer firing 16 shots in 15 seconds toward black teenager Laquan McDonald, who was killed.

“I think it’s a good reminder, especially on Christmas Eve, that it’s not all about gifts and the commercialization of Christmas”, said Barbara Hutchinson, 64, from St. Louis.

Numerous placards and chants targeted Mayor Rahm Emanuel, calling on the Chicago Democrat and onetime White House chief of staff to President Barack Obama to step down. But Emanuel and the department have faced heavy criticism over officers’ treatment of suspects. Police on bikes slipped behind the protesters to secure the store’s entrance. The group held a similar protest on Black Friday.

Protesters wanted the huge “platform” offered by the enormous Mall of America, and “as a result we were able to impact them where it hurts, which is through their dollars”, Sole said. In many cases the largest inconvenience to shoppers appeared to come from bicycle-mounted police who whizzed along the sidewalk with their bicycle sirens blaring as they attempted to stay ahead of the protesters.

On Wednesday, protesters were arrested in Black Lives Matter demonstrations blocking roadways and highways near the Minneapolis-St.

“It is clear the citizens of Chicago don’t want you in office any more”, said Lamon Reccord, a 16-year-old activist.