Ten people were detained outside Chicago's City Hall Monday afternoon during an NAACP demonstration urging police reform, including the president of the organization, according to an NAACP spokesperson.
NAACP officials said in a statement that President Cornell Brooks was arrested, along with nine members of the clergy described as seminarians and Chicago Sinai Congregation members, while "kneeling in prayer in the middle of the street." They were released a short time later.
According to Chicago police, the 10 protesters were not arrested, but instead issued citations during a "small gathering." Police would not confirm why they were given the citations, and did not identify who was cited.
NAACP spokeswoman Raquel Coombs later said in an email that she did not dispute the way police characterized the interaction, but noted that Brooks and the others were put in a police van. Brooks tweeted a picture from the van showing several other people.
The group protested outside City Hall as Officer Jason Van Dyke, who was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Laquan McDonald, made another court appearance, where he received $1.5 million bond.
The protesters marched while carrying coffins and chanted "What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!" and "Stop the cover-up! Sixteen shots!" in reference to the number of times McDonald was shot by Van Dyke.
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During a press conference held during the demonstration, Brooks spoke about police reform and reiterated the NAACP's demand for a formal investigation of the Chicago Police Department. Several members also asked for the resignations of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez.
"We are here because we are, as a city, as a citizenry, as a nation, grieving the death, the senseless, tragic death, of Laquan McDonald," said Cornell Brooks, president and CEO of the NAACP. "We have before us a casket. Caskets carry the loved ones that we've lost to death, sometimes as a consequence of disease, illness, old age, but not one of us can imagine the heartbreak of losing a loved one to police misconduct. And we're not merely here to grieve the loss of a 17-year-old. We're here before this emblem of death, this casket, to bury police misconduct in the city of Chicago."
Van Dyke posted bond Monday afternoon after a Cook County judge ordered the bail upon reviewing video footage of the fatal shooting of McDonald. The judge also showed the video to Van Dyke and his attorney in the courtroom.
Prosecutors asked for no bail during the hearing, but Van Dyke's attorney argued that the officer is not a flight risk. The judge said after the ruling that he was not there to determine guilt or innocence. Officials confirmed Van Dyke had posted bond and was released around 5 p.m.
