Let’s Defund The Chicago Police, Says Youth Leader

Since dashcam footage showing a white Chicago police officer killing a black teenager was made public, city officials have released a series of videos showing police encounters with the public.

Demonstrators stage a die-in in front of City Hall during a march through downtown on December 10, calling fro the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

CHICAGO Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel faces increased pressure to resign, as local black religious leaders called Friday for a “no confidence vote” against him for the 2014 police shooting of a 17-year-old black teenager and systemic police problems. The city suppressed the dash-cam video for 13 months until a judge ordered its release.

But the candidate expressed skepticism that a federal Department of Justice investigation into the patterns and practices of the Chicago Police Department would lead to change. Protesters allege a cover-up and have called for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

The release of a police video of the shooting of McDonald and the November 24 filing of a murder charge against Van Dyke came more than a year after McDonald’s death.

A small but boisterous crowd demonstrating against police misconduct protested Friday during rush hour traffic in Chicago.

The Rev. Marvin Hunter (left), Laquan McDonald’s great-uncle, said: “What we’re feeling in Chicago is the real feeling of America itself, and that’s injustice against people of color”, during a news conference.

The city had refused to release the video to a journalist, saying doing so could affect an ongoing investigation into the shooting.

Pastor Hunter asserted that Mr. McDonald was a victim of overkill for no other reason than because he was black and that across the country are those who face police terror because they, too, have black skin and are impoverished. A week later, the city took the unusual step of approving a $5 million payment to McDonald’s family even though his survivors had not then filed a lawsuit.

Emanuel has set up a task force to review accountability and is conducting a nationwide search for a new police superintendent.

The Department of Justice is investigating the circumstances of the shooting, as well as the police department as a whole. Emanuel apologized this week that the incident occurred under him administration. Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder in the case.