Protest Planned at Daley Plaza Wednesday

More than 1,500 people plan to walk out of work and school around lunchtime Wednesday to protest in favor of the resignations of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

The “CITYWIDE WALKOUT! rahm emanuel and anita alvarez’s resignation party!” is planned from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, and will start at noon at Daley Plaza in the Loop, according to a Facebook event in which more than 1,700 have confirmed to take part. Another 2,500+ Facebook users claim they are “interested” in the event.

“Chicagoans from across the city will walk out of work and school and converge on Daley Plaza at noon on Wednesday to demand the resignation of the Mayor and the State’s Attorney,” according to the event page. “The protesters refuse to accept Mayor Emanuel’s attempts to placate the public in the aftermath of disclosures about the Mayor’s Office’s suppression of public release of information of the police murdering Laquan McDonald.”

Among the participants, according to DNAinfo.com Chicago, are Rousemary Vega who has spoken out previously about school closings and Lamon Reccord, the teenager who has become known for staring down police at recent rallies.

The group plans to “take over a street” and block traffic, Vega said. Something that could be done even if only half of the people who say they are going to show up actually do.

“We will now hold our leaders accountable for the transgressions they commit and that are committed under their watch,” was posted under the event’s description. “Task forces, press releases, symbolic replacements of one crony for another are no longer enough to mollify the masses...Only the resignation of the mayor can begin to restore the trust we have lost in our city’s leadership.”