Where is Lori Lightfoot? Protesters call out 'hypocrite' Chicago mayor after she agreed to deploy federal agents
Hordes of protesters took part in a large anti-police demonstration on Thursday, July 23 night near Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Logan Square home. The rift between the protesters, the Mayor and the police erupted last week. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, protesters marched downtown last Friday, then headed into Grant Park, where a group of people attempted to take down the Christopher Columbus statue, similar to what’s happened in other cities across the country.
However, chaos erupted as officers and demonstrators clashed around the statue. Many complaints of police brutality were filed against Chicago police. The same report states that Lightfoot and police leaders blamed a group of protesters wielding black umbrellas and shields for inciting what they called “anarchy.” Lightfoot also said she isn’t happy with officers who may have mistreated protesters or reporters. According to NBC Chicago, on July 20, Mayor Lightfoot said that later in the week she'll announce a process in which the city will take inventory of the various monuments, paintings, and statues across the city.
According to various reports, Mayor Lightfoot is planning to remove the controversial statue of Christopher Columbus from Chicago’s Grant Park as soon as Thursday night. However, people are questioning about what she plans to do about police brutality. A Twitter user tweeted a video of people protesting and said, “Folks are chanting, 'Where’s @LoriLightfoot? Getcho a** up out the house' as more officers pull up.” Another wrote: “She’s taking down the statue, and now we need her to #DefundCPD. Keep pushing!!!” One user stated: “It’s coming down because of the activism that has led to this moment. Indigenous, Black and Brown people have been fighting for so long to see this happen. It’s also a balancing act, the Mayor just accepted Federal Agents from Trump.” Another pointed out, “Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot agreed to let feds into Chicago. So this is the scene outside her house tonight.”
"And now the Mayor @LoriLightfoot who demeans & wants to defund the police has called them to protect her from the 'peaceful protestors' outside her house. Where is the protection for the people of Chicago? Hypocrite. When will she learn a mob sooner than later will eat their own," wrote a user while another commented, "She threatened to sue if Trump sent his troops and terrorize her people.. so why does she have police defending her home ? Hypocrite yet she allows her sheep to burn down their own."
Initially, according to Yahoo News, Lightfoot, had rejected calls to bring down monuments honoring the explorer. She also has rejected calls to rename the Columbus Day holiday. According to a Chicago Sun Times report, Trump on Wednesday said he is expanding 'Operation Legend' with the agents heading to Chicago to bolster existing law enforcement efforts — not create a Portland-style camouflaged paramilitary strike force that is attracting widespread criticism. The report further states that Trump “reached out to Mayor Lightfoot this evening to confirm that he plans to send federal resources to Chicago to supplement ongoing federal investigations pertaining to violent crime." The conversation was brief and straightforward.
“Mayor Lightfoot maintains that all resources will be investigatory in nature and be coordinated through the US Attorney’s office. The Mayor has made clear that if there is any deviation from what has been announced, we will pursue all available legal options to protect Chicagoans,” read a statement in the report. This was a contradiction to her earlier tweet from the official Chicago Mayor handle: “Under no circumstances will I allow Donald Trump’s troops to come to Chicago and terrorize our residents.”
This angered netizens further. One tweeted, “@LoriLightfoot why did you consent to feds? WTF happened?”. Another said, “Wtf happened to saying no feds?!?”