Chicago Police Say They're Prepared For Weekend Protests Downtown

CHICAGO — Chicago police are preparing for protests expected downtown this weekend as the reverberations of civil unrest in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer.

Police Supt. David Brown on Friday said he hopes any protests will be peaceful but the department is ready for the worst. The department has prepared for "embedded agitators" that city officials say have infiltrated public demonstrations to attack officers in recent months.

"We cannot be a city that allows mob action, crowds to meet out violence on anyone especially our first responders. We have given that direction," Brown said at a Friday news conference. "There has been a few more protests where we have taken a firm stance ensuring First Amendment protest rights. But also when you cross the line and meet out violence, and start attacking or destroying persons and property, that we will take swift enforcement action."

On Thursday, police conducted public safety drills downtown to prepare for the expected protests this weekend. Brown said 200 officers will be deployed downtown. Another 500 officers that are part of the department's so-called community safety and summer mobile teams will be dispatched to neighborhoods over the weekend.

"We are caring and concerned about the neighborhoods and have committed the resources. It's not just talk because talk is cheap. We've committed the resources," Brown said. "The number of officers dedicated to our neighborhoods is ... twice as much" as the number of officers will be downtown."