Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said her office will not prosecute charges tied to peaceful protesters who face minor offenses stemming from demonstrations in Chicago following the death of George Floyd.
Foxx said that as demonstrations and marches called for "criminal justice reform, police accountability and systemic change, law enforcement agencies in Chicago and suburban Cook County arrested individuals and charged them with various non-violent offenses, including unlawful gathering, criminal trespass to state supported land, disorderly conduct, public demonstration and curfew violations."
The state's attorney's office said it will review each incident on a case-by-case basis "to determine if there is reason to proceed in the interest of public safety."
“Over the past month we have seen righteous anger, collective grief, action, and demands for justice,” Foxx said in a statement. “I’m encouraged by the efforts of those who are standing against years of racial injustice to resoundingly state that ‘Black Lives Matter.' We have the right to peacefully protest for change, but those choosing to exploit this moment, by causing harm and damage, will be held accountable.”
On May 31 alone, Chicago police arrested at least 699 people as vandalism, looting, violence and unrest gripped the city. Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said the majority of those arrests were made for looting, and 461 of the arrests were made on the city's South and West Sides.
One night earlier, at least 240 people were arrested.
