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In #NorthAustin for a protest organized by @606hoodlum and other Westside youth. The protest will march to the home of Board of Education member Dwayne Truss, who voted not to remove SROs from CPS. #ChicagoProtests
Here’s a clip from yesterday’s protest outside Board of Education member Sendhil Revuluri’s home, who also voted no to removing SROs from CPS. #ChicagoProtests https://twitter.com/stustrikeback/status/1296599906258489345
“Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe,” chants the crowd here in La Follette Park in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
. @606hoodlum points out the large police presence, opposed to yesterday’s action which had a significantly smaller police presence. “It’s because we’re on the West Side, in a predominately Black neighborhood... this is antiblackness,” said @606hoodlum. #ChicagoProtests
. @606hoodlum offers a brief history of the Austin community, which is one of the largest community areas in Chicago which suffers from great divestment. In contrast, it shares a border with the suburb of Oak Park, a community with vast resources. #ChicagoProtests
Many West Side Local School Councils (LSCs) have voted to keep SROs. “That’s why it’s important that we’re out here,” said @606hoodlum. “It should not be up to LSCs to vote to remove SROs, it should be up to the Board of Education.” #ChicagoProtests
“We are here because we want CPD defunded by 75 percent and abolished,” says the crowd collectively. #ChicagoProtests
“His logic is that he’s maintaining democracy by allowing school boards to vote... we’re not falling for that logic, because it’s illogical,” said Austin native and CPS alum Malik of Dwayne Truss. #ChicagoProtests
“We want him to know he’s making an anti Black decision,” said Malik regarding Dwayne Truss’ previous vote to maintain SROs in CPS. #ChicagoProtests
“If he makes the decision to maintain this contract, he’s anti Black. Period,” said Malik. #ChicagoProtests
“These Board of Education members were appointed,” clarified @606hoodlum who went on to state that despite Lori Lightfoot’s identify, she can be Black and uphold anti Black policies and can be Queer and be homophobic. #ChicagoProtests
“CPD has shown me that they do more to keep police in our schools than to keep youth in our schools,” said @kdjzuz of @PilsenAlliance. #ChicagoProtests
“Police will never ever end gang violence or gun violence... why don’t we fund our schools and give them resources so that they can stay in school,” said @kdjzuz of @PilsenAlliance. #ChicagoProtests
“Back up back up, we want freedom freedom, tell Lori and Truss we don’t need em need em,” chants the crowd. #ChicagoProtests
“Make the right vote, vote no... show us you are in our side and not your own,” said CPS student and North Lawndale native Brianna. #ChicagoProtests
“I’ve see young children brutalized as young as 1, 2... calling the cops on a 1-year-old isn’t going to do anything,” said CPS student and West Garfield native Ciera who goes on to tell a story of how police were called by a teacher on her brother who has ADHD. #ChicagoProtests
“Understand that these are our schools, our education,” said Ciera. “...We want to be in a school where we feel safe.” #ChicagoProtests
“From the West Side to the South, CPD we want you out,” chants the crowd. #ChicagoProtests
“Because cops react to violence with more violence, they do not prevent it,” said Tanya a CPS alum and organizer with @BPNCchicago. #ChicagoProtests
“I say that UCPD is on our campus, but they’re not just on our campus ,” said Alicia of @care_not_cops regarding UChicago Police Department’s wide ranging jurisdiction on South Side communities, causing them to be doubly policed by UCPD & CPD. #ChicagoProtests
“UCPD operates to serve the racist and gentrifying interests of the university, not our community,” said Alicia of @cafe_not_cops who speaks to why police need to be removed from universities as well as schools. #ChicagoProtests
“In your lifetime, 193 schools have been closed,” said Tynnetta, a student at UIC, to members of the crowd who are 19 or younger. #ChicagoProtests
Organizers play a video recording of Dwayne Truss inviting students to “come to my house” to speak with him. Today, they’re taking him up on that. #ChicagoProtests
“I want Dwayne to hear me out...we don’t need fucking police,” said Austin native Avery. “...Imagine what kids could do with 33 million dollars?” #ChicagoProtests
“If my Westside friends show up on the South Side saying fuck 12, I’m gonna show up on the West Side saying fuck 12,” said Ana of @AssataDaughters on the importance of South and West Side solidarity. #ChicagoProtests
Organizers playing the recording of Dwayne Truss inciting students to “come to my house,” again as they prepare to march. #ChicagoProtests
The protesters have their banners up as they prepare to march here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
“Chant down Babylon, Black youth are the bomb, we ready, we comin, we ready, we comin,” chant the protesters here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters dancing to Chief Keef’s “Faneto,” here in La Follette Park in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Onlookers shout words of support from their windows here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters stop to dance as they chant, “You about to lose your job,” here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters @606hoodlum & @melody_madi pause to pose with a cut out of @chicagosmayor. #ChicagoProtests
“No justice, no peace, abolish police,” chant the protesters as they continue to march west on Potomac, crossing Central here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
More support from onlookers as the protesters march north on Waller here in #NorthAustin chanting, “We know the truth, we got the stats, if the city’s so broke, where they get their money at?” #ChicagoProtests
Protesters approach Dwayne Truss’ house and he walks over to converse with cops. #ChicagoProtests
Truss responded to questions from @AustinTalks but refused to answer the questions of protesters. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters have now played the recording of Truss saying “I invite them to come to my house,” multiple times in front of him... outside of his here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters are throwing a block full fledged block party, dancing and writing in chalk, here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Police are now putting out a dispersal order. To avoid arrest, organizers are now moving the party onto Dwayne Truss’ lawn. #ChicagoProtests
“We, we are the revolution,” chant protesters outside of Dwayne Truss’ house here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
. @melody_madi of @GKMC18 performs their song, “Deliver,” which they wrote after someone told them, “You’re not going to be anything...you’re a bad kid in a mad city.” #ChicagoProtests
Jay Jay of @ChiFreeSchool now performs a dance outside of Truss’ home here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Another protester performs a song here outside Truss’ house. #ChicagoProtests
“See, race might be a social construct, but y’all use complexion to socially construct us,” recited a poet here outside Truss’ home here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters doing the Turbo Hustle now outside Truss’ home in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Now they’ve moved on to the Percolator outside Truss’ home in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters are continuing the dance party here outside Dwayne Truss’ home in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters now dancing to #WAP because this protest wouldn’t be complete without. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters now doing the Cha Cha Slide outside of Dwayne Truss’ home here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters chanting, “You about to lose your job,” as they prepare to march back to LaFollette Park here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters left a sign outside of Truss’ door which reads, “Hey, Dwayne, get CPD out of CPS.” #ChicagoProtests
Protesters are now marching south on Waller back towards LaFollette Park here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters chanting, “CPD out of CPS,” as they march east on Potomac here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
“No justice, no peace, abolish the motherfuckin police,” chant the protesters here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
“I believe that we will win,” chant the protesters as they continue east on Potomac nearing LaFollette Park here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
“Defund police, $33 mil for community,” chant the protesters as they march east on Hirsch here in #NorthAustin. #ChicagoProtests
Protesters are keeping the dance party going as they continue east here. #ChicagoProtests
“He can’t say he didn’t hear from Westside youth because we said it,” said @606hoodlum. “...We need one person, one vote,” she said referring to the BOE vote which was 4-3 in favor of keeling SROs. #ChicagoProtests
