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CBSN ChicagoWatch Now
By Marissa Parra
Filed Under:Chicago, Chicago Police, George Floyd, Protests, The Loop

CHICAGO (CBS) — Protests ramped up again Saturday after a night of violence as protesters marched through the streets of Chicago overnight demanding justice for George Floyd. Floyd died in police custody in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.

Hundreds of protesters could be heard chanting “I can’t breathe,” the same words also said by Floyd just moments before he died.

Crews were working Saturday morning to clean up the mess downtown. Several stores on State Street and Wabash Avenue were damaged overnight with protesters breaking the glass windows. Protesters marched along State Street smashing windows to stores like Target, Macy’s Champs, Old Navy and a nearby Dunkin Donuts. On Wabash several stores including Windy City Diamonds, a local business that has been around for 90 years, were also hit.

Windy City Diamonds owner Garry Zimmerman said he walked into his store to find shattered glass up to his ankles, saying the damage set them back at least $50,000.

“Glass everywhere,” he said. “I was six inches deep in glass inside the store. The showcases are broken. The cabinets are knocked over. It’s just a total disaster. I found two bricks, one under one window and one inside of a showcase in front of the other window.”

Police have not said if anything was stolen from these stores.

CBS 2’s Marissa Parra said protests started off relatively peaceful. There was a lot of name calling and yelling but nothing physical. The numbers started growing after 8 p.m. As the night wore on, the protests got more tense. Some of the protesters who remained at 1 a.m. began tipping trash cans. Parra heard what sounded like bottles getting smashed and heated confrontations. 

Officers lined the streets and tried to move the crowd, telling everyone to back up.

Chicago police say more than 100 people were arrested and several officers were injured during the protest. Most of those arrested had disorderly conduct charges, but one was charged with aggravated battery. One officer suffered a broken wrist. About a dozen police vehicles across the city were also damaged with smashed windows or tires and spray paint.

Saturday morning Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she understands the anger and the city’s history with Laquan McDonald but asks for peaceful protests.

“We must do it in a way that is also respectful of the people and their property,” she said. “We have a long history of bold, peaceful protests in Chicago.”

The mayor also urged social distancing when possible.

“COVID isn’t gone. Wear your mask,” she said.

Chicago Police Department Supt. David Brown said Saturday that he believes the department struck the right tone between allowing demonstrations and acting swiftly when protesters got violent.

“We believe in the first amendment right to assemble and protest, but we also believe that this is a nation of laws and lawlessness has no place in this country,” he said.
Brown also spoke against the actions of police in Minneapolis, separating his department from that department.
“They are not representative of officers across this country. They paint us all with a broad brush,” he said. “We don’t want our officers treating anyone like that. Everyone, and I mean everyone deserves a measure of respect. That type of behavior in our department will not be tolerated.”
For complete coverage of the situation in Minneapolis visit CBSMinnesota.com and stream CBSN Minnesota.