Dozens of Chicago students ripped up a Walmart while they were supposed to be protesting guns
4 hours
Dozens of Chicago students were supposed to be protesting guns but instead trashed a local Walmart.
Chicago police reported that students from Simeon Career Academy went on a vandalism spree Wednesday at a Walmart in Chatham Market on the South Side of the city. It happened during the 17-minute nationwide protest against guns.
What did they damage?
Shoppers and employees were “stunned” at the amount of damage, WFLD-TV reported. The vandals tore down product displays, ripped items from shelves and stole small bags of chips and candy.
Students who helped organize the protest at Simeon said they were upset that some of their peers turned a peaceful protest into a vandalism spree.
Howard Brookins, 21st Ward Alderman for the city, was also upset when he saw video footage of the melee.
“We’ve worked too hard to try to get these national retailers here in our community. And this doesn’t help us. It makes no sense to tear up the community which you call home,” he told WFLD.
Police are trying to identify the students through high-quality surveillance video from Walmart and social media videos posted by onlookers.
Chicago Public Schools issued a statement that said: “We are very concerned by these allegations and we are reviewing the matter.”
If identified, the students could face criminal misdemeanor charges, along with disciplinary action from the school, the report stated.
Are more protests scheduled?
Protests held across the nation Wednesday came in response to a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that killed a total of 17 students and staff members. Survivors from the school organized the nationwide protest.
Supporters believe that new gun laws would prevent similar school shootings from happening in the future.
The walkouts were held for 17 minutes in honor of the number of those killed in the Florida shooting. Upcoming protests include one on March 24 and another on April 20, the anniversary of the Columbine shooting.
