George Floyd Protest Held In Chicago Heights: Photos, Video

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — More than 100 protesters marched along the side of Lincoln Highway in Chicago Heights to support the Black Lives Matter movement a week-and-a-half after the police-related death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Thursday.

The protest, which drew anywhere from 300 to 400 people according to one of the attendees, was organized by Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163 board member Randall White. White was unavailable for comment Thursday night.

Scroll through the photos from atop the article for more scenes from the protest

Protesters met at the Food 4 Less grocery store on Western Avenue and made their way east toward Division Street and beyond. A rally was also held in a shopping center parking lot along the route.

George Brassea, 5th Ward alderman in Chicago Heights, was among the attendees. He shared a video from the protest on social media.

"We would like to acknowledge and thank the protest organizers and those who participated for expressing their First Amendment rights in a peaceful and orderly way and showing the world how one can have their voice heard while being good stewards of their community," the Park Forest Police Department, one of the law enforcement agencies that had personnel at the protest, wrote on Facebook.

More than one local official spoke at the rally, which was something that didn't sit well with Art Wiggins Jr., a 2019 Chicago Heights mayoral candidate who attended the protest.

"How is it career politicians who have over their careers empowered police to behave poorly can find righteousness to show up and present themselves as if they are aligned with the protesters when in fact they are the reason the issue exists," Wiggins said.

Wiggins also criticized Mayor David Gonzalez for "smiling from ear to ear" and "cheering with the crowd" during the rally after earlier issuing an alert to residents to avoid the area during the planned march.