POLICE HEADQUARTERS — The Police Board has rescheduled its monthly meeting because activists planned to protest the event, a move one activist likened to censorship.
The board, which decides disciplinary cases when officers are accused of misconduct, had planned to hold a meeting on Oct. 20. That's the two-year anniversary of the death of Laquan McDonald, a 17-year-old who was shot 16 times by a Chicago Police officer in an incident that led to protests throughout the city.
Activists had planned to memorialize McDonald and then attend the Police Board meeting so they could call for officers to be fired, said activist Will Calloway.
Calloway pushed for the release of the video showing an officer fatally shooting McDonald and organized the memorial and protest.
RELATED: Laquan McDonald To Be Honored By Activists On Anniversary Of His Death
Hearing of the planned protest, the board decided to move its meeting to Oct. 27, said board Executive Director Max Caproni. The members hoped moving the date would give more people a chance to speak to the board "free from interference and disruption" during the meeting, Caproni said.
"Over the past year there's been a number of Police Board meetings, including most recently this past June, where protesters repeatedly disrupted and caused disturbances in the audience," Caproni said.
In a statement, board President Lori Lightfoot said the board also moved the meeting "out of respect" for McDonald's memory.
"On October 20th, we expect that many Chicagoans will be reflecting on the circumstances that led to the death of Laquan McDonald," Lightfoot said. "Out of respect for his memory and the many people who will likely be expressing themselves about this and other issues related to policing in Chicago, the Police Board has rescheduled its meeting to October 27th.”
But Calloway said the board is trying to silence activists and the families of people killed or injured by police by moving the meeting date. They had hoped to speak to the board on the anniversary of McDonald's death.
"I think this is a poor sign of receiving community input," Calloway said. He said Lori Lightfoot, president of the board, is "stalling the inevitable [firing of officers] by attempting to ... silence the activist community.
"In addition to that, families who have lost their loved ones to police violence wanted to have plans on being heard [by the board] on that day."
Activists have attended the Police Board meetings for months, calling on the board to fire officers who they contend have failed civilians, including officers officers involved in fatal shootings and ones they say attempted to cover up what happened when McDonald was killed. Meetings have been shortened when activists in the crowd chanted, rose from their seats and gave speeches.
The Oct. 20 memorial for McDonald will go on as planned, Calloway said, and activists will still attend the Oct. 27 meeting so they can address the Police Board.
The rescheduling was an "irresponsible thing for them to do," Calloway said. "I think it's an [impediment] on democracy and letting people's voices be heard.
"I'm highly disappointed in Lori Lightfoot for attempting to censor and silence the community for demanding justice for Laquan McDonald."
The Police Board meeting is 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Chicago Police Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
