A number of black residents of a Chicago neighborhood chased away Black Lives Matter supporters as they attempted to capitalize on the shooting of a young black man at the hands of the police in the area.
Twenty-year-old Latrell Allen was shot in the shoulder after opening fire at officers, say police. Although the young man is expected to live and had opened fire at the cops first, Black Lives Matter agitators sought to exploit the opportunity in the Englewood neighborhood before going onto loot the Windy City’s Magnificent Mile.
According to Fox 32, a caravan of BLM activists appeared on 64th and Cottage Grove, making its way to the 7th District police station. But it was short-lived as residents confronted Black Lives Matter Chicago, Good Kids Mad City, and activists from other groups and urged them to leave.
Local black residents clashed and exchanged expletives at the caravan. “If you ain’t from Englewood, get the F*** out of here,” resident Darryl Smith told the protesters.
On the Lattrell Allen shooting, Smith spoke about the disinformation spread on social media that encouraged the BLM activists to take to the street. “First time they heard something he was 15. He got shot and a lady got shot. It goes to social media and you have to learn the facts, you have to have facts in this matter,” Smith said.
Smith, who had lived in the neighborhood for 51 years, went onto suggest that several local residents wanted the agitators, who had gathered from around the city, to leave because they did not fall for the social media disinformation campaign. From the onset of the violence, social media was identified as a catalyst for the widespread violence to have taken place over the past weekend.
Black Lives Matter Chicago called for a rally at the Englewood Police Station in 63rd Street, but some Englewood residents pushed back on what they saw as an intrusion. https://t.co/6ZLY9g3GA3
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) August 13, 2020
“A lot of people saying the looting started because of Englewood. We are tired of Englewood getting a black eye, those people were opportunist,” Smith added.
Over 100 arrests were made after high-end retail stores were looted; thirteen police officers were injured in an effort to keep the peace; and two people were shot in a night of violence.
“We refuse to let anyone come to Englewood and tear it up,” activist Charles McKenzie stated.
Community members are confronting Black Lives Matter protesters at the 7th district police station over in Englewood, #Chicago, demanding that these protesters leave their community. Community members are asking BLM activists "where are you when a baby's shot?" #ChicagoProtests pic.twitter.com/9Dqjl5mEfg
— Βƌβƌβơ⊔⟟ℓℓ⋲ (@WulfMunkey) August 12, 2020
One of the community members, Daryl Smith, who's a Englewood resident of 51 years, tells reporters why he doesn't want Black Lives Matter protesters in his neighborhood. He states that they're infiltrating their neighborhood & antagonizing their officers. #ChicagoProtests pic.twitter.com/W5r6mU1MmL
— Βƌβƌβơ⊔⟟ℓℓ⋲ (@WulfMunkey) August 12, 2020
One local Black Lives Matter organizer, Ariel Atkins, called the looting “reparation” and justified the chaos because these businesses were insured.
However, aside from the property damage and theft to retail companies, a charity for sick children and their families was vandalized by looters who attempted–but failed–to make their way into the shelter for the terrified children and staff.
