MOUNT GREENWOOD — Black Lives Matter Youth, along with black Chicago Public School students, plan to protest Friday Downtown and in Mount Greenwood where a black man was shot to death by police.
The Veterans Day protest is scheduled for noon at Wrigley Square in Millennium Park and will move to Marist High School, where a student was found to have sent a racially charged text about black people to another student, the group said in a tweet.
The school says it's ready and has been in contact with police and warned "no unauthorized person or group is allowed on our grounds."
Organizers are advising participants to bring CTA fare to get to Marist at 4200 W. 115th St.
Wear ALL BLACK as we call for justice! pic.twitter.com/Jm96ZqKs7a
— BLM Youth (@BLMYouth) November 9, 2016
The group released a statement on its Facebook page.
"The reactions of the people in Mt. Greenwood to the murder of Joshua Beal have been outrageous. A knowingly racist neighborhood, Black students and others are constantly threatened and put in danger. We are coming together to show solidarity with the students at Marist high school after racist events, and the family of Joshua Beal who was murdered by an off-duty police on Saturday. Wear all black and come prepared for a peaceful demonstration."
One of the commenters on the page claimed that five students at Marist were disciplined for the text. Marist High School Principal Larry Tucker was unavailable for comment.
The school, on its website, acknowledges the protest, telling parents "we want you to be assured of your child's safety."
Chicago Police will be on campus as well as increased Marist security, according to the post, adding "Marist High School is private property, and therefore no authorized person or group is allowed on our grounds."
The post also says that there have been rumors of other protests earlier that "never came to be" and "that may be the case Friday as well."
Since Beal was killed by an off-duty police officer last week, multiple protests have taken place in Mount Greenwood, a neighborhood known for being a primarily white enclave with a number of city workers, including police officers and firefighters.
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