At least 100 Cicero residents took to the street to clean up debris after a night of violent clashes between police, residents and potential looters.
They walked the boundaries of Cicero picking up trash, helping board up windows and were welcomed with cheers from residents out their doors.
Cicero provided rakes, shovels and trash bags. At the end of the clean up, Paisans Pizzeria and Bar donated pizza for the volunteers.
Sandip Patel, owner of El Patron Liquor Store in Cicero, said he was surprised with the community coming to help clean up.
On Monday, Patel watched 30 to 40 people storm his store, taking everything they could grab. The Cicero Police Department responded to the burglary in about 3 minutes, he said.
After an hour, with police still inside the liquor store to restore order, a man fell through the false ceiling. Then another. And another. In all, about seven guys fell from the store ceiling that has no second floor, Patel said.
“They were hiding inside the store. They thought we had a back door but we don’t,” Patel said.
“So they climbed the backroom and into the ceiling,” he added. “One of them had a gun.”
Patel estimates his losses, in merchandise and damage, to be at least $40,000.
“Too much hatred out here,” Patel said. The store was closed Tuesday but he hopes to reopen in the next couple of days.
Esai Ariza, a resident of Cicero for 19 years, said he was happy to clean up the damages after a night of looting.
“We have to make sure our community is clean and safe for everybody,” Ariza said.
It was surreal for Ariza to see state troopers and Cicero police marching down Cermak Road Monday night to quell disturbances.
He’s happy to see some order reinstated, but unsure when the protesting may end.
“I think the politicians have to put their agenda to the side, fix the judicial system and hold bad cops accountable,” Ariza said.
The town also drew criticism for allowing business owners to form small militias armed with assault rifles and bats.
“We want to encourage people to stay inside and local businesses to close early,” said Emilio Cundari, the town assessor. “But we are going to stand our ground here in Cicero and protect our town.”
