Chicago has begun the process of reopening Wednesday, even as tensions remain high after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the threat from the coronavirus still looms.
The decision by Mayor Lori Lightfoot means local restaurants can reopen with outside dining, retail shops can welcome customers, personal services businesses such as salons and barbershops can open up and other businesses such as hotels can start to operate. All of the businesses will be subject to reduced capacities and tight rules in place designed to stop COVID-19 cases from spiking.
Access to downtown Chicago will also start to reopen. Metra, which has been out of service since Monday morning, planned to resume a modified schedule on most lines on Wednesday. The CTA planned to restart bus and rail service to downtown at 5 a.m. on Wednesday, though some train stops located within or near downtown will remain closed, according to the city.
The citywide curfew for all residents and visitors, effective from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. will remain in effect until further notice.
Here are the latest developments:
3 p.m.: In Batavia, a call for involvement: ‘Being not racist is not enough.’
A crowd estimated to be as large as 1,500 filled the Batavia Riverwalk park at noon as protest organizers spoke and sang songs from a covered porch serving as a stage.
Among those speaking was Devin Couturier, who addressed the concept of her white privilege, telling the mostly white crowd the movement “isn’t about us, but it exists because of us, because black people have been fighting for justice for hundreds of years. … Being not racist is not enough.”
“If you’re more outraged by a Target being looted but not outraged by a target put on black people’s back in America, then you are part of the problem,” she said to a roar from the crowd.
Other speakers stressed the need to better listen to the concerns of the Black Lives Matter movement, and to get involved.
State Rep. Karina Villa, D-Batavia, called on people to get involved: “You are the boss of me. And if you’re not calling me to tell me that you’re mad, there’s something wrong.”
Among the hundreds in the park was Maya Tubic, who emigrated from Croatia in 1995 and has lived in Batavia for five years. She brought her 10-year-old son and friends, after a heated debate on Facebook with others who questioned the point and complained it could invite problems. She said it was important “just to stand up and speak with these people and break the silence, the inactivity.”
Helping lead the event was Isabella Irish, an 18-year-old recent high school graduate who implored the crowd to leave peacefully but with resolve.
“You keep saying it’s horrible that innocent blacks were killed but destroying property has to stop. Try saying it’s horrible that property is being destroyed but killing innocent black men has to stop. We must stop prioritizing the wrong parts,” she said.
As the event was ending about 2 p.m., Police Chief Daniel Eul stood at the back, with officers stationed at the far edges of the event.
Before the event began, the city posted on its website that the organizers had cooperated with the city but the city couldn’t permit it, in part because of COVID-19 restrictions, and had imposed a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew. At the end, event organizers thanked the department, with one organizer handing the chief one of many flowers distributed to the crowd as they left.
Eul told the Tribune that there had be no major problems. Although the department remained concerned because of problems in other suburbs, he was hopeful that was less likely in Batavia.
“The people who are organizing these initiatives are taking them back from the people who co-opted them for their own purposes. I don’t think the people that were causing the damage were the people trying to effect this change.” —Joe Mahr
2:51 p.m.: Cleanup begins in Bronzeville
A sea of boarded up windows greeted volunteers who descended upon the Lake Meadows Shopping Center in Bronzeville Wednesday to help clean up after vandals broke windows and looted most of the stores in the complex. Neither the Walgreens nor the UPS Store nor the nail salon nor the women’s clothing shop had been spared.
Michelee Harrell, 42, who lives nearby, had been looking forward to possibly grabbing a drink at a bar or sitting on a restaurant patio, as Chicago eased restrictions on businesses sidelined for more than two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Instead, she was picking up litter and sweeping up debris, and even stores that had previously been open are closed indefinitely.
“I think we’re getting further and further away from normal,” she said.
But the mood was not dour as people from across the city arrived to see how they could help.
Joy Williams, an artist and community organizer behind the cleanup, stood before a stack of water, paper towels and garbage bags and directed people to the areas in greatest need, suggesting some people head further south to Roseland.
“This gave everyone an opportunity to come together and take care of the community in a way that needed to happen,” said Williams, 21, who lives in South Shore. “The South Side needed to be cleaned up years ago.”
Though she was sad about the destruction of businesses, she said “it had to take something so drastic for people to come together to make change.”
Williams was heartened to see volunteers from Lakeview and elsewhere on the North Side show up ready to work, as engaging them had been difficult previously.
“They are very humbly trying to help and they feel remorseful,” she said. “This is a moment of solidarity and I’m really seeing that.” —Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz
1:58 p.m.: In Logan Square, one of Chicago’s biggest dining regions, reopening moves slowly
In northern parts of Logan Square at about lunchtime, preparations noticeably were being made at restaurants like the Harding Tavern, Longman and Eagle and Cafe con Leche.
At the corner of Sawyer and Milwaukee avenues, Old Plank was making the most of its huge windows. While many nearby restaurants and businesses have boarded windows as a preventative security measure, Esam Hani, the owner of One of a Kind Hospitality which operates Old Plank, said the fact that his restaurant’s outer walls were more than 50% windows helped it open sooner. By city regulation, restaurants with dining space within 8 feet of such windows can open for outdoor dining. Hani also oversees other restaurants on that stretch of Milwaukee Avenue, and Old Plank has been the first one to reopen.
“This (property), we were a lot closer to being ready, so this one is first,” Hani said. “But it’s not as easy as flipping a switch. We’re trying to get employees back right now, but a lot of them are making more money on unemployment right now than they did here. ... We also have to teach everyone coming back new safety operations.”
Payton Orr and JD Mathys were sitting at a high-top table perched next to one of the restaurant’s massive windows. Neither of them said they felt particularly worried about COVID in the context of dining out, and they wanted to support the restaurants as long as they are open.
“I’m a little afraid we’re reopening too soon and everything will have to close again, but I also want these businesses to be able to be open as long as they can,” Orr said.
“I think people should be more concerned about the tens of thousands of people walking through the neighborhood without masks every day,” added Mathys.
That was about it for Logan Square in the early afternoon. South of Logan Boulevard, no restaurants were open, or even preparing to do so. —Adam Lukach
1:44 p.m.: Downtown Chicago restaurants mostly staying closed
Most of downtown is fairly quiet, with many restaurants still closed. A few places, like Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse (1028 N. Rush St.) and Maple & Ash (8 W. Maple St.), said they were considering opening Thursday.
Lettuce Entertain You, the city’s largest restaurant group, held off on opening Wednesday and will release a list of planned opening dates Thursday.
But David Flom, the managing partner at Chicago Cut Steakhouse (300 N. LaSalle Drive), says the restaurant has been extremely busy since opening this morning.
“We already have a 100 people here on the patio,” says Flom. “We also have a lot of reservations scheduled for tonight.”
He says they’ve been preparing for days to make sure the restaurant met all the guidelines from the city and state, including spacing the tables 6 feet apart, putting up plexiglass where it’s needed and having set walking paths for customers.
“The entire staff is also wearing masks,” adds Flom.
Wishbone (161 N. Jefferson St.) was open at lunchtime with three people sitting on the shaded outdoor patio. General manager Saskia Rivera said they had been getting calls about reservations.
When it comes to social distancing, Rivera’s goal is to take care of staff and customers “in the restaurant while keeping an eye on customers waiting outside for a table.”
By mid-afternoon the restaurant had had just a total of seven dine-in customers. —Nick Kindelsperger and Kasondra Van Treeck
1:39 p.m.: Minnesota AG to upgrade murder charge against officer in George Floyd’s death, charge 3 other officers with abetting, reports say
Prosecutors are charging a Minneapolis police officer accused of pressing his knee against George Floyd’s neck with second-degree murder, and for the first time will level charges against three other officers at the scene, The Star Tribune reported Wednesday.
Widely seen bystander video showing Floyd’s May 25 death has sparked sometimes violent protests nationwide and around the world. The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired May 26 and initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The three other officers involved were also fired but were not immediately charged.
The Star Tribune reported reported that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison would be upgrading the charge against Chauvin while also charging Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao with aiding and abetting second-degree murder. The newspaper cited multiple law enforcement sources familiar with the case that spoke on condition of anonymity.
Earl Gray, who represents Lane, told The Associated Press that the report “is accurate” before ending the call. Read more here. —Associated Press
1:15 p.m.: Marchers call for united between African American and Lantinx communities
About hundred people gathered in Little Village Wednesday morning and marched down 26th Street, calling for unity between the African American and Latinx communities.
“We will not allow them to divide us,” said Laura Ramirez of El Foro Del Pueblo, one of the protest organizers. “We are here to say enough is enough.”
At Wednesday’s march Jai Simpson of GoodKids MadCity called for peace and mutual respect.
“This is a new age, the age where black and brown are one because of our similarities.” Simpson said. “Both black and brown communities on the South and West sides of Chicago are affected by environmental racism, racial discrimination and systematic discrimination”
The group marched from the arch in Little Village to Pulaski Avenue and back, working to maintain six feet social distancing.
Organizers reminded marchers that Little Village has some of the highest rates of COVID-19 in the city. On returning to the arch near Albany Avenue, the marchers knelt in silence. —Sophie Sherry
12:47 p.m.: North Side customers show up for breakfast at restaurant patios
While some restaurants geared up to open for dinner service later in the day on Wednesday, many breakfast joints said they wouldn’t open until later this week or next week, citing confusion around the rules and regulations that would allow them to seat diners outside. Lost Larson, a bakery in Andersonville, said it hopes to open its back patio for brunch, but will be reservation-only. They have yet to set an opening date, however. But other restaurants were open for breakfast and saw a strong turnout.
Although they have a small patio of only three tables total, one of the owners of Savanna Restaurant, an American Ecuadorian breakfast and lunch restaurant in North Center, said he’s happy to finally open Wednesday. By mid-morning, they had already seen two tables of longtime customers, who have continued their patronage during the shelter-in-place order.
“It’s been really hard for all this time,” said Luis Calderon, one of the owners. “I’m happy for everything and what’s coming for now. We’re so excited. It’s going to be hard but we’re going to see what we can do.”
Cafe Selmarie, a bakery and restaurant in Lincoln Square, said they’re not in a rush to re-open. They plan to take it slow and see what happens, citing COVID-19 and the protests.
By mid-morning, the patio at Tweet in Uptown was still full of regulars who had started arrving when the cafe opened at 9:30 a.m. While no one is sitting and doing their crosswords like they would have before, owner Michelle Fire said she’s happy that everyone who has come by so far has worn masks and practiced responsible socialization.
“I think people are ready to come out, period,” Fire said. “I think they would sit in the rain today, to be truthful.”
She said the last few months have been extremely difficult for her and her business, and has felt financially and emotionally burdened.
“I felt like weeping all the time,” she said. “I still do, but this is a ray of hope, a ray of hope in the fact that everybody showed up in the last hour and a half and they’re being safe. No one is being silly.”
She said many restaurants probably feel wary about opening right away because of the protests surrounding the killing of George Floyd by a police office on top of the worldwide pandemic that still rages on. But she wanted to re-open Tweet, which she describes as a “down-home neighborhood comfort place” for this exact reason — to provide a safe place for the community and to bring in income for her employees, some of whom have families to support.
“I’m marching forward,” she said. “That’s all we can do, is march forward.” —Grace Wong
12:20 p.m.: For some Chicago businesses, the hits keep coming. ‘I’m just waiting for an earthquake.’
On Wednesday morning, Melissa Kmieciak, manager of Ragstock, unlocked the boarded-up door where someone had written “empty” in hopes of discouraging looters.
The store had been vandalized, though she declined to say how extensive the damage was. Ragstock had been ready to reopen after being closed during the COVID-19 shutdown, but will now likely wait until the unrest has calmed.
The wait was disappointing, but holding off for a few more days didn’t feel that hard, she said.
“We’ve already been closed so long,” she said.
Milwaukee Furniture, on the other hand, was open even though its window had been broken and remained boarded up. Security cameras caught one person trying to steal a computer and TV, but a police officer stopped the person, who left them behind, said owner Mustafa Quad.
Quad has kept the store open for appointments and to fill online orders, and he said he felt comfortable coming back.
Business has been down about 85% during the pandemic, Quad said. A couple weeks ago, the store basement was damaged by flooding. Then came damage over the weekend from widespread unrest over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“There’s just so much chaos. ... I’m just waiting for an earthquake,” he said.
Michael White, 26, was walking down Milwaukee Avenue with his father Wednesday morning after grabbing coffees at Wormhole.
The street looked much cleaner than it had over the weekend, but few shops appeared open for business.
White was still wary of going back to the gym because of the risk of exposure to COVID-19, but he had been looking forward to returning to restaurants this week. Now he’s less certain, not because of the virus but the risk of getting caught up in the unrest.
“I like to give people the benefit of the doubt, but all it takes is a handful of people to start something,” he said. —Lauren Zumbach
11:41 a.m.: As Chicago enters next phase of reopening, many stores remain boarded up
Many businesses along Milwaukee Avenue in Wicker Park remained boarded up Wednesday morning.
At Reckless Records, which had a screen blocking the view inside its store, pieces of paper taped to the window spelled out “Black lives matter every day.”
Reckless Records had hoped to open its Wicker Park and Lakeview stores Wednesday after being closed during the COVID-19 shutdown, but the unrest that hit Wicker Park Sunday put those plans on hold.
Reckless Records wasn’t damaged, but employees were still getting stores ready to operate safely amid lingering concerns about COVID-19. The stores need plastic sneeze guards, and nearby retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s had closed after looting in the area. Other stores are sold out of sneeze guards or required a lengthy wait, said Melissa Grubbs, manager of the Wicker Park store.
Reopening Reckless Records’ smaller Loop store will take more time. But the others will open as soon as possible, she said.
“We need to be open in order to survive,” she said.
A couple blocks away from Reckless Records’ Wicker Park location, salon Fringe also remained closed, with boards over its windows, even though owner Dawn Bublitz had already booked a full slate of clients in anticipation of opening Wednesday. She decided to wait, even though the salon made it through Sunday’s unrest undamaged.
“It just does not feel safe,” she said. “My staff doesn’t feel comfortable, and I don’t feel comfortable opening until the violence has stopped and the looting has stopped.”
Early Sunday evening, friends called and warned her she should board up the salon. She grabbed a few neighbors and within an hour removed everything they could, from products to computers. She isn’t sure when she’ll be ready to reopen, but hasn’t canceled appointments booked for this weekend yet.
“I’m just telling everyone we don’t know,” she said. Last week, people couldn’t wait to get their hair done after going months without a trip to the salon. Now, “it just seems like hair is the least important thing in our lives right now,” she said. —Lauren Zumbach
10:55 a.m.: CBOE pushes back trading floor reopening after widespread disruption in the Loop
The CBOE, one of the world’s largest options exchanges, is pushing back its planned Chicago trading floor reopening one week amid downtown disruption.
The trading floor, which has been closed since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, is now scheduled to reopen June 15 as the city deals with fallout over the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“The decision to postpone the reopening is in light of closures across the city of Chicago and limited access to the area surrounding the CBOE building,” the exchange said in a news release Wednesday. “CBOE is continuing to monitor the situation closely.”
A CBOE spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.The CBOE trading floor was previously set to reopen Monday, with a number of changes in place to minimize the risk of transmitting COVID-19. Traders will be screened for fever at entrances, required to wear masks and observe six feet of social distancing — a far cry from the boisterous, old school trading pits that built the exchange. Read more here. —Robert Channick
10:17 a.m.: Peaceful demonstrations held in Elmhurst, Bolingbrook, Park Ridge and other suburbs
Despite worries of unrest that prompted businesses to board up their windows and residents to fear the worst, peaceful demonstrations against racial injustice took place in Elmhurst, Bolingbrook, Park Ridge and other suburbs Tuesday night, with residents gathering at shopping districts and lining busy streets to convey their message.
“I’m sick of the injustice,” said Walter, a 20-year-old Elmhurst resident who declined to give his last name. “I have spent my whole life viewing this world as a place where bad stuff happens, and I honestly believe this is not necessary. We have leaders in power that do not align with the vast interests of the majority of the American people, and we’ve had enough.”
Following episodes of unrest in Naperville and Aurora, Elmhurst officials issued an alert about the protest that prompted businesses on the York Street shopping center to close, and many to cover their doors and windows with plywood. Social media crackled with worries about looting and riots.
Roughly 200 people gathered at the corner of York and North Avenue at mid-afternoon, chanting and waving signs as passing vehicles honked in support. Nothing belligerent took place, and shortly after 8 p.m., the last few protesters left and police officers who had been watching over the demonstration dispersed.
Another demonstration is set to happen in the city on Tuesday, June 9.
In Bolingbrook, after a large, peaceful protest behind the village hall, about two dozen protesters headed to the Promenade shopping center. The open-air mall was barricaded by heavy-duty trucks and surrounded by police squad cars, so demonstrators held signs and chanted “No Justice! No Peace!” on sidewalks and parkways near Boughton Road and Janes Avenue.
Downers Grove braced itself for a large and possibly turbulent demonstration, as it issued a state of emergency and imposed a village-wide 8 p.m. curfew. But only about 50 to 75 people showed up, police spokesman Bill Budds said, and they were peaceful and dispersed about 7 p.m.
Minutes before curfew, there were no demonstrators in the boarded-up downtown but plenty of families taking pictures and riding bicycles through the closed streets. A couple of buskers sang “Black Water,” while a small group of men in T-shirts and jeans walked along the sidewalks vowing to stop anyone who tried to loot local businesses. —John Keilman and Stacy St. Clair
8:23 a.m.: After days of unrest in fallout from George Floyd killing, nation’s streets mostly peaceful
Protests were largely peaceful and the nation's streets were calmer than they have been in days since the killing of George Floyd set off sometimes violent demonstrations over police brutality and injustice against African Americans.
Earlier curfews and efforts by protesters to contain the lawlessness prevented more widespread damage to businesses in New York and other cities overnight.
By Wednesday morning, arrests had grown to more than 9,000 nationwide since the vandalism, arson and shootings erupted around the U.S. in reaction to Floyd's death May 25 in Minneapolis. At least 12 deaths have been reported, though the circumstances in many cases are still being sorted out.
In Washington, where authorities ordered people off streets before sundown, thousands of demonstrators massed a block from the White House on Tuesday evening, following a crackdown a day earlier when officers drove peaceful protesters away from Lafayette Park to clear the way for President Donald Trump to do a photo op with a Bible at a church. A black chain-link fence was put up to block access to the park.
“Last night pushed me way over the edge,” said Jessica DeMaio, 40, of Washington, who attended a Floyd protest for the first time. “Being here is better than being at home feeling helpless.” Read more here. —Associated Press
5:50 a.m.: How much of Chicago actually opens back up will vary by neighborhood.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot is pushing ahead with plans to allow businesses to start gradually reopening Wednesday, though how much of Chicago actually opens back up will vary by neighborhood.
Many store owners are dealing with empty shelves and shattered windows amid the aftermath of looting. A 9 p.m. curfew remains in effect. Demonstrators continue to march. And the coronavirus threat still looms. But bridges will be lowered, and many downtown streets will reopen.
Lightfoot’s announcement caught some by surprise, since over the weekend she had suggested civic unrest following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police could delay the reopening. The mayor said she made the call after consulting with numerous local business owners, chambers of commerce and aldermen. Lightfoot said she raised the question frequently as she toured damaged businesses in several neighborhoods on Monday. Read more here. —Gregory Pratt, Bill Ruthhart, Grace Wong, Morgan Greene and Jessica Villagomez
5:45 a.m.: Cicero tells residents to stay indoors and let police do their job after looters clash with officers as well as vigilantes armed with clubs and guns
Cicero officials urged people Tuesday to stay indoors and let the police to do their job after two men were shot dead, stores were vandalized and 60 people were arrested as looters clashed with officers and residents armed with clubs and guns.
Three men have been arrested for a fatal shooting just off Cermak Road in the western suburb, and the investigation continues into the second homicide. Charges have not been filed in either case.
Town President Larry Dominick said he welcomed peaceful protesters to Cicero but added that law enforcement would “stand up” to those bent on criminal acts. Read more here. —Gary Marx
5:40 a.m.: ‘This is a step back.’ Latino activists speak out about racial tension with black Chicagoans on Southwest Side amid George Floyd fallout
The organizing efforts of some Latino groups to peacefully protest and help protect their communities from unrest were quickly overshadowed by racial tensions after reports that alleged Latino gang members were profiling and targeting black people in Little Village earlier this week.
“The system is corrupt and they want to see minorities fight against one another to weaken us,” said community activist Montserrat Ayala, who helped organize a peaceful protest in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement over the weekend. “We need to work together to dismantle racism.” Read more here. —Laura Rodríguez Presa
5:35 a.m.: Feds charge man with setting fire to Chicago police vehicle, 3 others face gun charges in connection to weekend looting in Chicago
A South Side man was hit with federal arson charges Tuesday alleging he set fire to a Chicago police SUV in the Loop while wearing a “Joker” clown mask during the weekend unrest.
Timothy O’Donnell, 31, was seen on video taken by a bystander on Saturday approaching the police vehicle parked in the 200 block of North State Street and placing a lit object into the car’s gas tank, according to an eight-page criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
After the squad car burst into flames, O’Donnell was captured in a photograph provided by a different witness posing in front of the blaze. Though his face was obscured by the grinning mask, O’Donnell’s distinctive neck tattoo reading “PRETTY” could clearly be seen in the photo, according to the complaint. Read more here. —Jason Meisner
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