Protesters to disrupt Chicago on Black Friday

President Barack Obama says he is “deeply disturbed” by video footage showing a white Chicago police officer fatally shooting a black teenager.

Activist Mark Carter called on people to “rise up” and shut down the shopping area on Friday. A protester is silhouetted against Chicago’s famed Wrigley Building as he directs others to shutdown traffic on both sides of the Michigan Ave. bridge over the Chicago River, Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015, one day after murd…

New video showed Laquan McDonald running away from Jason Van Dyke’s squad auto just before he was shot and killed.

In this October 20, 2014 frame from dash-cam video provided by Chicago Police Department, Laquan McDonald falls to the ground after being shot by officer Jason Van Dyke in Chicago.

The broadcaster said authorities did not say how many arrests were made, but newspaper USA Today said two protesters had been detained as of 10:30 pm Wednesday (0430 GMT Thursday).

About two dozen protesters also gathered outside Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office on Wednesday.

The news station noted that audio appears to be missing from the video released by the police department.

Demonstrators shrugged off a cold drizzling rain to turn the traditional start of the holiday shopping season on Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile into a high-profile platform from which to deliver their message: The killing of Laquan McDonald was another example of what they say is the systemic disregard police show for the lives and rights of black people.

And the Urban League of Chicago joined in the call for a federal investigation, alleging a pattern of “discriminatory harassment” against black people. Rev. Jesse Jackson said he met with U.S. Reps.

What continues to roil the black community is how police and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez waited 400 days to release the tape, well after last spring’s election in which Mayor Emanuel faced stiff competition and had to undergo the first-ever runoff election in the city’s history, an eyebrow-raising moment for an incumbent in a city renowned for its “machine”-like politics. It distorts images. So what appears to be clear on a video sometimes is not always that clear”, Herbert said”.

“It’s powerful we’re coming together”, Taylor said.

But she also defended the 13 months it took to charge Van Dyke, insisting she made a decision “weeks ago” to charge him and the video’s ordered release did not influence that. “We will be intolerant of criminal behavior in Chicago”, McCarthy said at a news conference Tuesday.

At one point Tuesday night, they seemed to form a circle and chanted names of others they said were also victims of police violence in the city.

Officials declared a first-degree murder charge against Van Dyke. “I really think because of the political processes”, said Burris, who added it is rare to charge a police officer. Reporter: Van dyke’s defense argues he fired at McDonald because he feared for his life.

“The officer in this case took a young man’s life”, police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said Tuesday. When shown a picture of the man’s injury, the board’s report said, Van Dyke “indicated he did not know how the injury to his left eye was sustained”.

A Cook County judge has dismissed a charge against a protester accused of hitting a police officer in Chicago. He told the Chicago Tribune earlier this year that he was struck by the nonchalant look on the officers’ faces when the verdict was returned.