WBEZ photo of Summer 2020 looting in downtown Chicago
CHICAGO – Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison (17th) asked a question many Chicago area residents are asking about this week in response to expected violence on the city's streets: Will Mayor Lightfoot and Governor Pritzker do all they can to protect law-abiding citizens?
Morrison sent out a statement as news reports leading up to Tuesday's elections suggest the election could be "a triggering point."
With news stories across the country, including Chicago, Morrison's statement starts, "reporting on massive safety precautions being taken by businesses and residents, it's disconcerting to see so many cities 'boarding up' their downtown districts. After a summer of chaos and destruction, this situation raises a legitimate question to the elected leadership charged with providing safety for the public."
Then he poses a question many residents are asking: Will Mayor Lightfoot and Governor Pritzker take all of the necessary safety precautions to keep our communities and our residents safe in the face of potential unrest?
"It is my hope that we do not have a repeat of what was allowed to occur this past summer," Morrison said. "I look forward to hearing from both the mayor and the governor regarding all of the safety measures they are enacting to preserve law and order over the next coming days regardless of the outcome of the election."
"It's imperative that the public is reassured that their safety and well-being will not be jeopardized or exploited for political purposes."
