Categories: Chicago

Protests have emerged in response to Jussie Smollett’s case

After Cook County State decided to drop the charges against ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett, dueling protests have emerged on Monday.

There were protestors for and against this decision. The decision was made by the Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.

The protests happened a week later after the charges were dropped.

The Members of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police had shown their displeasure against the decision. The members staged the protest outside the Cook County Administration Building, 69 W. Washington Street.

There were counter protest at the same location by various groups including Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Police Repression group.

There were reports that prosecutors group was sponsoring some of the protests which were made to be incorrect.

The co-chairperson of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, Frank Chapman said that he will not allow anyone to beat them over the head with it.

One of the member protesting against the charges-dropped was 60-year old Mike MacDonald. He said that justice is for sale. He says that he has vast experience of been in law enforcement and he strongly disagree with how Foxx is running things.

All of this has led up to the Jussie Smollett case in which he said that he was racially and physically abused by two people on Jan. 29 when he was coming from a Subway branch.

The police had investigated the matter and found that the actor had staged the entire thing himself.

Kim Foxx said that she will recuse herself from the case in February but didn’t officially commit.

All the charges were dropped against the actor on the promise that he will do community service and forfeit the $10,000 bond he had posted before.

Kim Foxx came under heavy criticism by Chicago’s administration including the Mayor and labelled it a whitewash of justice.

Shawn Genzone

Senior writer at the Chicago Morning Star

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