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Activists block major freeway to protest gun violence in Chicago

Thousands of protesters calling for an end to gun violence in Chicago partially shut down a major freeway in the city on Saturday, restricting traffic as they demanded lawmakers and members of the community do more to stop the bloodshed.

Initially, demonstrators marched along two of the freeway’s four northbound lanes watched by lines of police. Some carried crosses and others banged drums as they marched, chanting slogans including “Black Lives Matter!” Later, the protesters blocked traffic on all four lanes.

Illinois State Police said agreement was reached with organizers of the protest to allow the demonstrators restricted access to Interstate 94, known as the Dan Ryan Expressway, “to march peacefully for their cause.”

By mid-afternoon there were no arrests, police said.

Chicago leaders have long struggled to bring down its high murder rate. Even though homicides fell 16 percent last year, the third largest U.S. city still ranked No. 1 in murders, with more than the combined total for New York and Los Angeles, the two largest cities. (Reuters)

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