The Chicago chief police officer said his officers were ambushed during violent clashes between protesters and police last week near a Christopher Columbus statue when objects were thrown at officers during heated clashes between the groups.
Police Superintendent David Brown said his department has faced “organized actions to provoke violent responses from our officers” during a press conference Monday where a video of Friday’s events in Grant Park was released.
He said peaceful protests spanning several weeks have been hijacked by what he called “organized mobs.”
Authorities said the six-minute compilation video released by the Chicago Police Department shows protesters dressed in black with umbrellas to protect themselves as they throw frozen bottles and cans of water, rocks, explosives and other items at officers. In the video, many officers retreat behind the statue or hold riot shields during the incident.
Protesters hid behind umbrellas and banners to change into black clothing, police said. The video also captures people distributing items to throw at the police, while others used sharp PVC pipes to stab officers, authorities said.
Brown said 49 police officers were injured, including one with a broken socket and one with a broken kneecap. Twelve people were arrested for mob actions, property damage, and attacks by police officers.
Chicago police officers were thrown with objects during protests Friday in Grant Park. The demonstration turned violent after some items were thrown and collided with officers, officials said Monday.
(Chicago Police Department)
“We cannot be a city that thinks mob action by the mob is acceptable behavior,” Brown said, noting that when chaotic protests occur, the department is forced to divert the workforce from policing the areas. high crime.
The city reported that 63 people shot and 12 died during another violent weekend.
In response to Friday’s events, Brown said he ordered all officers to use “each and every protective equipment” when monitoring protests.
“We cannot assume that the protests will be peaceful, based on these actions and others,” he said.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said “vigilantes” attended Friday’s protest with the intention of violently engaging with authorities.
“That is not a peaceful protest. That is anarchy, ”he said during the opening of a restaurant on Monday. “We cannot have a circumstance where a small subset of them try to take over and hijack the peaceful protest and then turn it into a fight with the police.”
She also said she was not happy with the images of injured protesters and reporters confronted by police officers.
Friday’s protest was organized by indigenous peoples in Chicago to demand the removal of the Columbus statue. Similar clashes between authorities and protesters have erupted across the country over monuments and monuments of controversial figures.
Miracle Boyd, an 18-year-old activist, said she lost some teeth after being hit by a police officer. The video of that incident was also circulating on Twitter.
“In no way should I have left a bruised and abused protest for exercising my freedom of expression and freedom of assembly,” Boyd, a GoodKids MadCity activist, said during a press conference Monday morning. “I am disgusted and would never have thought that I would be a victim of the largest gang in America.”
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On Sunday, the city’s Civilian Police Accountability Office said it received more than 20 complaints against police officers related to the protest.
