Chicago Police officers stand outside and mingle on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Karl Brandon, president of Chicago Westside NAACP branch, speaks on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Cata Truss, of the Austin neighborhood, holds up a sign on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Rebecca Raines, of Chicago Westside NAACP branch, speaks as attendees hold up signs on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Rev. Ira Acree, of Greater St. John’s Church in the Austin neighborhood, applauds speakers on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Rebecca Raines, of Chicago Westside NAACP branch, asks attendees to take a moment of silence for Laquan McDonald on Friday, Sept. 29, during a rally outside of Chicago City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. “When we call police, we don’t know if we’re calling an ally or adversary,” Raines said. McDonald was shot and killed by then Chicago Police officer Jason Van Dyke on Oct. 20, 2014. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
‘No seat, no peace:’ Karl Brinson, president of the Chicago Branch Westside NAACP chants “no seat, no peace” along with others in attendance on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, during a rally outside of City Hall on LaSalle Street in Chicago. | ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Community leaders from all over Chicago, including members of the Chicago Westside Branch NAACP and Rev. Ira Acree, pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church in Austin, converged in front of City Hall on Sept. 29 to “demand a seat at the table in the mayor’s office,” according to literature demonstrators circulated before the march.
“The community should have a voice in how the city is governed in regards to police reform. Right now there is a silent movement to keep the door closed,” the literature reads. “Stand with us to demand that the door be opened and a seat be provided to those who will be affected the most by police reform or the lack thereof. Police reform is for the people; it should be by the people.”
