A large group of ANTIFA and Black Lives Matter protesters assembled in a park to call for the defunding of police and an attempt to take down a statue of Christopher Columbus.
As police started moving the crowd out of the park, they were met with a barrage of bottles, cans, and rocks. All tolled, 18 police officers were injured.
HAPPENING NOW: Police and protesters are squaring off outside the Columbus statue in Chicago @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/qfa9DHvX0c
— Marissa Parra (@MarParNews) July 18, 2020
The police were forced to use pepper spray in order to break up the large group of protesters.
Protesters were able to deface the statue but they didn’t manage to tear it down.
Protesters clash with @Chicago_Police following reports of fights with offficers after a Defund Police rally @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/yNoejl7e2q
— Jermont Terry (@JermontTerry) July 18, 2020
By about 8:15 PM the police had been able to move the crowd out of the park but the protesters continued their violence even as they were dispersing.
Some rioters tried to tell a reporter that police had been brutalizing a woman.
Police have pushed demonstrators back from Columbus statue. Now a clear line between the statue, police and demonstrators. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/4vmIieJwAn
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) July 18, 2020
Police succeeded in saving the statue and they pushed the protesters west, where they ultimately dispersed.
The area near Columbus and Roosevelt was shut down for a good portion of the evening as police were dealing with the rioters.
Police say that a dozen people were arrested and that several police officers were taken to the hospital after being hit by the debris being thrown by the unruly crowd.
Tonight’s protest outside the Columbus statue in Grant Park turned violent shortly after I got there
You can catch the full Facebook live hit for CBSN @cbschicago at the link below:
➡️ https://t.co/FccT5hjIKm pic.twitter.com/aWA388kMny
— Marissa Parra (@MarParNews) July 18, 2020
The violence in Chicago is out of hand. In my opinion, someone needs to loan Mayor Lori Lightfoot five bucks so she can buy a clue because currently, she doesn’t have a single one in trying to deal with them out of hand violence.
