MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Woke Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot roasted for saying carjackers feel 'unloved': 'Take them home'

Mayor panned after blaming 'too many young people that feel unloved' for a brutal attack on a city employee who is now in intensive care

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, known for her incendiary comments found herself in more hot water on April 2, 2022. The mayor was speaking after a brutal attack on the head of Chicago's Film Office, that left him in intensive care. Reports say Kwame Amoaku was brutally attacked on March 30 by a group of carjackers outside his home. Rather than come down hard on the attackers, Lightfoot opted for a more lenient approach. 

In May 2021, Lightfoot sparked a major row after saying she would only do interviews with reporters of color, in reaction to widespread criticism of her leadership. That move led to a lawsuit by Daily Caller journalist Thomas Catenacci, who is White. In July 2019, she was caught calling a police union official a "clown", in a hot mic moment that she struggled to walk back. 

RELATED ARTICLES

Keith Thornton: Chicago cop calls Lori Lightfoot ‘disgrace’ in video amid crime surge

DEFUND WHAT? As CPD faces massive cuts, mayor Lori Lightfoot has an army of 70 officers for protection

Over the past year, Lightfoot has found herself in more and more trouble, as the city has descended into anarchy following a massive surge in crime. Like many other "woke" leaders, she's deflected the blame onto racism and racist justice systems, while conservatives have slammed her for not being tough enough. That battle was visible for all to see following her shocking remarks on April 2.

'There are too many young people that feel unloved'

On March 30, Amoaku was attacked twice by three people at around 8 am outside his home near the National Museum of Mexican Art. The attack happened after the 51-year-old saw the three inside his car, leading to him confronting them. The confrontation led the trio to beat Amoaku and flee to a nearby Dodge Caravan. The trio then returned for a second round and robbed him, before fleeing. 

Amoaku was appointed the head of Chicago's Film Office by Lightfoot in July 2019, so his attack was extremely personal for the mayor. However, it did not seem that way when Lightfoot was speaking about it on April 2. "There are too many young people in this room that feel unloved, and we need to change that if we are going to change the trajectory of their lives," the mayor said at the Harold Washington Library when speaking about addressing the city's crime wave. 

"I'll be frank and say in Chicago there was a correlation we believe between remote learning and the rise in carjackings," she added. The comments came in response to Chicago PD's figures noting that 57% of carjacking suspects are juveniles. The backlash was swift and brutal, as it has always been. 

'Take these individuals into your home'

"Mayor #Lightfoot says violent carjacking was due to individuals feeling unloved Pls Mayor, take these individuals into your home and shower them with love Pointedly the ones who brazenly horrendously just beat one of your staff All from the Mayor who has her own security," one user slammed. NYPD's former police commissioner hit back, "This isn’t about being unloved, it’s about being undisciplined!" One Congressional candidate tweeted, "This is why my constituents in the city are fed up with Windy City Politics. DO YOUR JOB!"

"These people r complete idiots, I know a young man whose parents love him more than life & was in & out of detention & now jail!!" one person pointed out. Another slammed, "These people think they can change the truth by changing words. Now juvenile thugs are "unloved youths." Puleeeze..."

At the time of publication, the mayor has not walked back her comments. Meanwhile, the anger and fury continue to pile up online.