Dec. 16--Chicago police arrested 16 protesters who were calling for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez's resignations as they impeded traffic by lying down on Congress Parkway in the Loop on Tuesday evening.
The Chicago Light Brigade held its annual vigil for victims of violence in the city, after which organizers led a pop-up protest around 7 p.m. at Congress Parkway and Clark Street.
Sixteen protesters formed a blockade spanning across Congress to represent the number of times 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot by police Officer Jason Van Dyke. Police said 16 people were eventually arrested.
"This serves as a warning that we can do this at any time we have to do it until Rahm is gone and Anita is gone," protester Jim Ginderske said.
Two police wagons and several dozen officers on bicycles responded to the protest.
When police tried to arrest protesters in the street, they ran into a minor impediment because the demonstrators wore what they called "lock boxes," makeshift contraptions adorned with Christmas lights that they used to lock hands with one another.
That prompted some officers to cut the devices off of those who didn't surrender voluntarily.
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