CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Thousands of protesters returned downtown for a second day of protests to express outrage over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, looting and damaging some downtown businesses.
Several demonstrations have been taking place in the downtown area with protesters confronting police near Trump Plaza, on the Wabash Avenue Bridge and other areas. Multiple squad cars have been vandalized and one was seen on its side.
The crowd started in Federal Plaza at 2 p.m., wearing masks and chanting "I can't breathe" and "Get off my head."
Chicago Police shut down Lake Shore Drive and CTA service to the Loop was halted.
In response to Friday's violence, Mayor Lightfoot urged people to protest peacefully Saturday, saying that the city will take necessary action to stop unruly action.
Chicago police then intervened and raised the DuSable Bridge in an effort to separate protesters, who gathered south of the bridge. Although the crowd has thinned out, there were still thousands of protesters as of 6:50 p.m. State Street and Wabash were the only bridges now not raised.
Some protestors have been arrested and violence has occurred between police and protesters, and police have reportedly sprayed crowds with pepper spray.
Lots of protests have turned violent, such as in Oakland, where an officer was killed and one was injured. In Detroit, a 21-year-old protester died after he was shot by an unknown offender. In Los Angeles, protests began peaceful but turned violent and two officers sustained minor injuries. At least 400 arrests were made. And in Charlotte, police called the large gathering of protesters an "unlawful assembly" and began dispersing the crowd.
