Anti-violence protesters in Chicago are planning to march Monday afternoon in an effort to shut down access to O’Hare International Airport, according to multiple reports.
USA Today reported that the Rev. Gregory Livingston is organizing the protest in an effort to highlight the city’s violence, and the lack of opportunities available to communities on the city’s South and West sides.
{mosads}The protest could lead to major travel disruptions on the holiday weekend at the nation’s second-busiest airport.
Livingston shared an image on Twitter on Sunday laying out his demands as part of the effort. He is calling for legislation that requires 20 percent of the city’s workforce to be African-American; greater investment on the city’s South and West sides; resources for black-led anti-violence initiatives; and the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Major David Byrd, spokesman for the Illinois State Police, told USA Today that authorities will prevent the protest from interrupting traffic, but did not detail how marchers would be stopped from entering the highway.
USA Today reported that there have been 368 murders in the city of Chicago through August, a 20 percent decrease through the same period last year.
The city attracted national headlines last month after one of its most violent weekends of the year left 12 people dead and 62 wounded.
President Trump, who has publicly feuded with Emanuel, took notice of the violence and blamed it on city leadership.
“That’s bad stuff happening, and probably I guess you have to take from the leadership,” Trump said. “There’s no reason in a million years that something like that should be happening in Chicago.”