Protests Continue: Demonstrators Block Traffic Amid 5th Day of Protests in Chicago

Protests and demonstrations have broken out nationwide following the deaths of 32-year-old Philando Castile and 37-year-old Alton Sterling

Protesters blocked traffic in downtown Chicago during rush hour Monday evening amid a fifth day of demonstrations in response to recent police-involved shootings.

Protesters gathered downtown for a 2 p.m. sit-in and march at Millennium Park ahead of a rally scheduled to be held at Federal Plaza. 

Dozens of marchers blocked traffic on their way to the plaza before joining hundreds of demonstrators at the 4:30 p.m. rally. 

The group later moved, causing rolling closures in the city before they held a sit-in at State and Lake streets. Several closures continues as the protesters marched to State and Wacker. 

Monday marks the fifth consecutive day of protests in Chicago, some resulting in dozens of arrests as activists aimed to disrupt the Taste of Chicago and block traffic along Michigan Avenue in their call for justice over the weekend.

Protests and demonstrations have broken out nationwide following the deaths of 32-year-old Philando Castile in a St. Paul, Minnesota suburb and 37-year-old Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In Dallas, five police officers were killed and seven wounded when a gunman opened fire on a protest march Thursday. But most of the demonstrations haven't been as tense as the scene in Dallas that night or a highway standoff in St. Paul. 

"Obviously something has to be done because this is an ongoing thing and the problem is it's increasing," said Chicago protester Bill Tongue. "People are talking about it but things aren't happening and people really have to take action."

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