In mid-April, a police-reform task force appointed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel delivered a handsome 183-page report, its cover adorned with photos of city residents and comforting words about “restoring trust.” Yet the words inside carried a stinging condemnation of systemic racism in the city’s law enforcement.
A similar message is routinely delivered on the streets of Chicago with more raw power and emotion. Since the November release of video footage showing a police officer shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, protests have closed highways, disrupted holiday shopping on the Magnificent Mile, and brought city meetings to a standstill.
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