DOWNTOWN — When the city released the video of a Chicago Police officer shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times, the Internet exploded in outrage.
That outrage, which came from all over the world, could result in meaningful change for the first time in decades, Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) said Wednesday.
“Social media is why we are in this place we are today," Beale said after Mayor Rahm Emanuel apologized for the handling of Laquan's slaying to the City Council. "If we didn’t have social media we wouldn’t be talking about the reform and change that we are talking about right now. If we didn’t have the video it would be the same old story where people are kicking and screaming and it would be constantly be getting covered up."
When the video was released, #LaquanMcDonald was a top trending topic nationally on Twitter. People from all over the world shared stories, video and their opinions on the case — and it didn't stop there.
Throughout the holiday weekend, people used Twitter, Facebook, Vine, Instagram, Periscope and other social networks to organize protests — including the Black Friday protest on Michigan Avenue which shut down shopping for hours.
The online organizing continued Wednesday, when 1,900 people RSVP'd for a "Chicago walkout" to demand the resignation of Emanuel on Facebook. As of 1 p.m., an several hundred people were marching Downtown.
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