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The police killings of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd strengthened anti-racist organizing with national coverage and renewed public interest in a major issue plaguing American cities: unchecked police violence.
During the past year, tens of thousands of Chicagoans took to the streets in shows of interracial solidarity, demanding that politicians address the problem. This once-in-a-lifetime display of collective anger has yet to translate into concrete political change.
Opinion
Mayor Lori Lightfoot and the City Council have largely ignored the mass demands of their constituents. Chicagoans received a promise from the mayor in early January much like the one she campaigned on in 2019 that she would tackle the problem this year. The mayor’s procrastination is all the more frustrating because grassroots organizations, such as the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, have been offering proposals since before the mayor began her term in office.