Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot condemned city residents who banded together to deter possible acts of looting and vandalism on Wednesday.
“It is absolutely not appropriate for people to take up arms, bats, pipes, whatever in patrolling neighborhoods,” said Lightfoot at a Saturday press conference.
A group of men had formed in the city’s Bridgeport neighborhood as rioters ran wild and ransacked dozens of small businesses throughout Chicago. Many progressives immediately sought to shame the mostly white group of men on the basis of their race, pointing out with indignation that the group of men was largely cooperating with the Chicago police. There are no reports that the community patrol engaged in any violent acts.
MEN WITH BATS ROAM STREETS OF BRIDGEPORT, CHICAGO pic.twitter.com/W33kjxjBlv
— The_Real_Fly (@The_Real_Fly) June 4, 2020
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Lightfoot went on to explain that the men’s peaceful community patrol was unacceptable in the eyes of city authorities.
“We’ve seen that end with tragic results across the country and we’re not about to allow that practice to happen here in Chicago. If there’s an issue, call 911,” said the Democratic mayor, largely ignoring that the city’s police force was proving woefully incapable of preventing mass looting and rioting throughout Chicago. “I absolutely support neighbors being vigilant as to what’s going on on the streets and in their blocks but taking up arms, that leads to chaos and we’re not supporting vigilantism in the city of Chicago under any circumstances.”
The City of Chicago is preparing to spend more than $1.2 million for the services of a private security company in the hopes of finally stopping the looting and criminal acts the city’s police department has proven unable or unwilling to prevent. But real community members who peacefully patrol together with non-lethal weapons with the objective of securing their own neighborhood- for free- are apparently beyond the pale.
