Angry Protesters Flood Chicago Streets After Release of Laquan McDonald Video

The long anticipated release of a police dash-cam video showing a white officer fatally shooting an African-American teen in 2014 sent protesters spilling into Chicago streets Tuesday night.

Earlier Tuesday, Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with murder in the first degree of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald on the city’s Southwest Side in October 2014.

• Also on Patch: Video Shows Jason Van Dyke Shoot Laquan McDonald

Van Dyke’s claim that McDonald lunged at him and his partner with a knife, causing the cop to fear for his life, contradicts what is shown on the released video. McDonald is seen walking away and standing several feet away from the officers when Van Dyke starts firing his gun at the teen.

Although city officials voiced concerns about possible rioting and other criminal acts, Tuesday’s protests were noisy, yet civil, as activists linked arms and marched through the South Loop, chanting “16 times,” the number of shots Van Dyke fired at McDonald.

Many of the protesters were from the Black Youth 100 Project, who were followed by a phalanx of police officers and a heavy news media presence. The young activists were not speaking to media. At least one member described to the Chicago Tribune that their feelings were “raw.”

At about 7:15 p.m. the demonstrators were turned back by police near Michigan and Balbo. Several news media reported what appeared to be a scuffle between police on bicycles and protesters.

The Chicago Tribune reported that a protester was seen stomping on a police officer’s bicycle. An officer was also taken away in an ambulance as the crowd grew to about 300 demonstrators. Possibly two of the activists were arrested.

Another demonstrator claimed the she was roughed up by a cop. Chicago police said they won’t be releasing the number of those arrested until Wednesday. At least three activists are being held overnight.