The voice of the American people will never go away. The expression of that is how the country works. It’s founded on people expressing themselves and their opinions.
One of the latest parts of the long and continuing tradition of American protest unfolded early Saturday in Chicago, where marchers dedicated to the cause of anti-violence shut down all of the lanes of the Dan Ryan Expresssway as a part of their demonstration. Authorities had initially sought to keep the demonstration confined to an area that would allow at least some cars to still pass, but in the end, the protesters were able to negotiate their way into using the entire highway.
This is how an expressway looks like with people walking on it instead of speeding cars.#DanRyanShutDown pic.twitter.com/HSExcC9HCx
— Manny Ramos (@_ManuelRamos_) July 7, 2018
City authorities seem to have ended up being significantly open to the marchers and their wishes; at one point, Eddie Johnson — the Chicago police superintendent — was photographed arm-in-arm with the march leader, Rev. Michael Pfleger.
Pfleger & @Chicago_Police Supt. are walking arm-in-arm on Dan Ryan, with thousands of protesters marching against violence #DanRyanShutdown pic.twitter.com/ATSPRJC2VG
— Ashlee Rezin (@Ashlee_Rezin) July 7, 2018
The handling of the situation by city authorities irked the state’s Republican governor, Bruce Rauner, who tweeted that he is “calling on the [Chicago] Mayor to take swift and decisive action to put an end to this kind of chaos.” The Chicago Police Department reportedly told marchers that, in the end, the main thing at one point holding them back from using the entire highway was Rauner’s office.
Despite Rauner’s apparent best efforts, the anti-violence march went on, stemming from anger over the very real fact that gun violence remains a significant threat in the United States and it doesn’t have to be this way.
Full shutdown. #DanRyanShutDown pic.twitter.com/Dknc7wtiUa
— Noël Gardner (@noelcamille) July 7, 2018
Demonstrators chanting in the pit demanding peace. #DanRyanShutDown pic.twitter.com/0KYgIiu2wG
— Manny Ramos (@_ManuelRamos_) July 7, 2018
