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Protestors Join Shoppers In Chicago During Black Friday

Mayor.cityofchicago.org

Hundreds of protesters are blocking entrances to stores in Chicago's high-end shopping district on Black Friday to draw attention to the police shooting of a black teenager.

Some of the demonstrators linked arms to form human chains in front of main entrances to stores on both sides of Michigan Avenue for more than three blocks.

The largest is a peaceful group led by Rev. Jesse Jackson, who delivered a prayer from the steps of Chicago's historic Water Tower.

Rev. Jackson was in the middle of the crowd shouting, "What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now!''

Store employees were directing shoppers to exit from side doors. When one person tried to get through the front door of Saks Fifth Avenue, protesters screamed at him, shouting, "Shut it down! Shut it down.''
 
Entrances were also blocked at the Disney Store, the Apple Store, Nike, Tiffany & Co., and Neiman Marcus.
 
Many shoppers seemed to take the disturbance in stride. Some even snapped photos of the crowd.

The release of a video this week showing the fatal shooting in 2014 of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald has set off days of largely peaceful protests.

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