Chicago pastors lead peace march to prevent chaos in the Loop
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago city leaders are working to prevent a repeat of last weekend's chaos in the Loop. That includes a bigger police presence barricades and curfew for teenagers. Meanwhile, pastors from the South and West sides have organized a walk. They are hoping to paint a much different picture of young people downtown.
Pastors who spoke with CBS 2's Sabrina Franza say they are hoping 500 men and teens come out for the walk, which starts at Michigan and Roosevelt. The plan was to begin there and walk north.
On Friday, Chicago Police officers blocked access to Millennium Park. They were seen on foot, on bike and parked all over downtown, likely to deter people from coming and causing chaos. Salt trucks were stationed at the ready to block traffic.
The curfew for minors was also supposed to be enforced. Anyone under 18 was required to be accompanied by an adult into the park after 4 p.m. That's two hours earlier than the park's teen curfew last year.
Saturday pastors in partnership with Apostolic Faith Church, Bright Star Church Chicago, New Life and others organized the walk because they feel responsible for what happened last weekend, partly because they say many of the teens were from their communities.
"We wanted to come together as churches and as pastors and as people of good will not to demonstrate against them but to say we as a church or as churches are here for you. We're going to have organizations that are walking with us that are going to have flyers for people who are looking for jobs, foundations that we work with, people that are hiring youth for the summer. We want to be a beacon of light in our city but also for young people who are trying to find a way," said Pastor Watson Jones III of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago.