Protest Not The Usual Scene In Elmhurst

ELMHURST, IL — The suburban quiet of Elmhurst was rocked, if only temporarily, when more than 200 people joined a protest Tuesday afternoon at a downtown intersection in support of Black Lives Matter. Many drivers passing by North Avenue and York Street got out their cameras to shoot videos and photos of the historic moment as the nationwide protests over George Floyd's death spread to Elmhurst, a town where only 1.5 percent of the population is black.

The demonstration ended peacefully shortly before sundown because organizers said they did not want it to continue into the night. The community was prepared for the event, with many businesses boarded up just in case the protest ended in a riot, like in other towns. Victory Meat and Seafood had a sense of humor about it, scrawling on its boards, which sealed off the entire storefront, "1/2 Price Today Only!"

Three hours into the demonstration, the Elmhurst city government, which closed York Street downtown to make way for the protesters, said in a statement it was witnessing what appeared to be a peaceful event. The city asked downtown businesses to close for the evening as a precautionary measure. Police said they had received numerous calls reporting suspicious activity. They said they remained on high alert. About 15 officers were watching over the demonstration, standing in the background. Others were blocks away on York.

Demonstrators repeatedly chanted, "This is a peaceful protest. This is not a riot."

The more than 200 protesters were scattered on all four corners of York Street and North Avenue. Most were white and in their 20s, many wearing face masks.

Many drivers honked as they passed through the intersection. It appeared especially affirming for the demonstrators when a semi-truck driver honked. One man who was stopped at the light told a couple of demonstrators, "I met some very nice protesters. I'm worried about damage." He was referring to protests in Naperville and Aurora, among other places, that organizers intended for their events to be peaceful, but turned violent. In one case, the driver of a car with a Donald Trump bumper sticker exchanged words with a couple of demonstrators.

A woman named Elise, an Elmhurst native who declined to give her last name, led many of the chants. "No justice. No peace. No racist police." Demonstrators also shouted, "Protect black families. Protect black kids" and "The whole damn system is guilty as hell." They carried signs supporting Black Lives Matter. One larger sign read, "Police are a weapon of white supremacy."

Some motorists showed support for police near the rally. "Thank you for your service," one woman said to the officers from her car.

The protest appeared to be locally organized, with participants repeatedly chanting, "This is Elmhurst." One protester told Patch that most of the people were from town.

At 3 p.m. Tuesday, the City Council held an emergency closed meeting, alerting the media after it had started. The agenda stated it was for a discussion of security procedures, but it did not reveal specifics. No action was planned.

In a statement Monday, the city said a protest that had been planned for Tuesday was delayed a week. It was part of an agreement between local officials and organizers, the statement said. It was unclear why the demonstration happened anyway Tuesday.

Elise, who led the chants, said protests in places such as Elmhurst are designed to make suburbanites aware of the issues happening in larger cities.

"People think if they close their eyes, this will all go away," she said. "This has been happening for centuries."