Shops ransacked, looted in Chicago as BLM protest turns violent: Report
Follow UsStory highlights
Shops in downtown Chicago were ransacked and looted early Monday (August 10) prompting a large police response and several arrests during the ongoing BLM protests, according to local media.
Hundreds of people swept through the Magnificent Mile and other parts of downtown Chicago early on Monday, smashing windows, looting stores, clashing with police and at one point exchanging gunfire with officers, local media reported quoting authorities.
Videos being circulated on micro-blogging site, Twitter showed the ransacked stores, broken windows and people looting the stores with an armful of merchandise.
The looting began shortly after midnight with protesters seen darting through the broken store windows and doors along Michigan Avenue.
Chicago and many other US cities had witneseed widespread looting in May and June in the wake of the Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd.
The authorities have not confirmed on what triggered the violence and vandalism on Monday.
Though, a video doing rounds on Twitter is being said as the reason for the protests to have turned violent. It is the video posted on Twitter with hashtag #FREETIANNA by @SarahBaska. The caption read, "she should not be facing 15 years in prison for organising a protest. Reply to this tweet with #FREETIANNA". The video shows a girl handcuffed and taken away by police.
Watch the video here:
she should NOT be facing 15 years in PRISON FOR ORGANIZING A PROTEST. REPLY TO THIS TWEET WITH #FREETIANNA !!!!!! pic.twitter.com/BXHcHNMUFi
— Sarah Baska (@SarahBaska) August 10, 2020
It is after this video that the protesters turned violent and attacked the police, ransacking stores and as they left downtown Chicago in chaos.
Post the video by @SarahBaska went viral, several videos started doing rounds on social media of stores being attacked by protesters. It wasn't immediately clear whether it was the BLM protesters who did this.
In a video by Twitter user @djtek, a woman can be seen being caught by the police after she was trying to flee with loot bags in her hand.
Watch the video here:
#CHICAGOScanner #chicagoriots
— Celebrity DJ-DJ Tek (@djtek) August 10, 2020
She wasn't fast enough. pic.twitter.com/PevHoGvQNd
A tweet thread by Twitter user @GOPrincess depicts multiple instances where people can be seen looting stores and running away. The thread captures the chaos in Chicago and business being hit due to the looting.
Watch the video here:
Where is @chicagosmayor Lori Lightfoot while #Chicago is being looted + destroyed?
— GOPrincess 🇺🇸 MN Mama (@GOPrincess) August 10, 2020
She “bravely” showed up to a beach because naughty people weren’t social distancing!
What about the wide array of neighborhoods where people are murdered?! She checking on them?#ChicagoRiots pic.twitter.com/RMb1iFn3Sf
Other viral tweets depicting the violence in Chicago
Currently in #Chicago 😳😳https://t.co/k1YaHkxcMT pic.twitter.com/EUE59iTn2Y
— ChicagoShadeRoom (@Realchibaby) August 10, 2020
High-end retailers are getting looted and vandalized downtown early this morning. Hundreds of people ha e made their way to the downtown area. Chicago police on this video chase someone on North Michigan Avenue. pic.twitter.com/xkNHvss1qY
— Jeremy Gorner (@JeremyGorner) August 10, 2020
There are hundreds and hundreds of people downtown right now. #Chicago #ChicagoScanner pic.twitter.com/03CziG6vHo
— Paige Fry (@paigexfry) August 10, 2020
Marcus store #Chicago pic.twitter.com/ioSxZjhuDn
— Paige Fry (@paigexfry) August 10, 2020
Riot In downtown Chicago, officer gets hit in the face #chicagoriots #ChicagoProtests pic.twitter.com/vSZDTYMDEk
— ᗡoʊble𝕲FromdaH (@doubleg38street) August 10, 2020