DOWNTOWN — The protesters calling daily for Mayor Rahm Emanuel's resignation are planning another Downtown "walkout," this one possibly disrupting commutes home on a Friday afternoon.
Nearly 900 people say on Facebook they'll participate in "Walkout Part 2," a sequel to last week's protest that shut down busy intersections from Congress Parkway to North Avenue.
The new "walkout" — a call for Chicagoans to participate by leaving their jobs or school — will begin at 3:16 p.m. Friday at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. The event's time is a reference to the 16 times teenager Laquan McDonald was shot by a Chicago police officer last year, a killing that has produced persistent political outcry since a video of the shooting was released late last month. The police officer, Jason Van Dyke, has since been charged with murder.
"Enough damage has been done to our city, and it's time to take it back. Rahm must resign. We won't stop until he does," the Facebook event page says.
Hundreds of protesters took to Downtown streets last week in a similar event, though that wrapped up by about 5 p.m. Still, motorists trying to enter the city via the Eisenhower Expressway or cruising along North Michigan Avenue were stuck by the crowd blockading the streets. The protesters have vowed to march daily in what they call the "rich parts" of the city to bring awareness to their cause and force more political pressure on Emanuel and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
The new walkout also follows a protest march along the Magnificent Mile the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year. Protesters have already announced plans for a similar event on Christmas Eve. They also plan a protest Thursday afternoon at President Barack Obama's home in Kenwood.
