CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot has banned youth from Millennium Park on weekend nights after a 16-year-old was killed near The Bean.
Lightfoot’s ban prohibits unaccompanied minors from going to Millennium Park after 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Children are still allowed if they are with a “responsible” adult, and the policy will be “strictly enforced and violations dealt with swiftly,” Lightfoot said in a statement.
The ACLU was quick to criticize the ban, saying it limits park availability.
“The mayor’s announcement suggests that our city’s exhibit park should not be available to all Chicagoans,” said Ed Yohnka, Director of Communications and Public Policy for the ACLU of Illinois, he said in a statement to WTTW. “Curfews and bans create group guilt for all young people, whether they are there to enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown or something else.
“The vague description, relying on an undefined ‘responsible adult,’ allowing youth to be present in the park and the promise of strict enforcement will result in unnecessary stops and arrests and will further strain relations between CPD and young people of color”.
The ban came just one day after 16-year-old Seandell Holliday was shot and killed at The Bean during a night when large groups of young people were gathering at the center.
The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of East Randolph Street, police said. Holliday was shot in the chest and taken to Lurie Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A 17-year-old was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon in connection with the shooting, police said. The teen was arrested “moments” after he shot Holliday, police said. He was scheduled to appear in juvenile court on Monday.
“Tragically, a young person, a teenager, lost his life last night in Millennium Park,” Lightfoot said in a statement. “We as a city cannot allow any of our public spaces to become platforms of danger. Anyone who enters our public spaces should expect to enjoy them peacefully and should respect and display basic community standards of decency. We simply will not accept anything less.”
Overall, officers arrested 26 minors and four adults that night, police said. Seven weapons were found and two officers were injured, police said.
Lightfoot said he believes the “overwhelming majority” of the young people at the park were there to have a “good time and [to] enjoy a summer night”, but the “scene turned into one of chaos and unnecessary violence”.
The mayor said the ban takes effect immediately. He did not say when it might end, nor did the city explain what consequences people will face for not following the ban.
Lightfoot said the city will partner with local school systems to educate young people about politics.
“As a city, we need to make sure that our youth have safe spaces to congregate and that those spaces are peaceful and really safe,” Lightfoot said. “I call on all parents, guardians and caring adults to step up at this time and do whatever it takes to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again and encourage appropriate behavior when our young people come together in anywhere in this great city of ours. .”
The downtown area and beaches have for years seen large groups of young people who gather regularly during the spring and summer. Last week, a meeting on North Avenue Beach drew more than 400 young people. Such events have led to concern for the safety of some officials.
Reference-blockclubchicago.org