Bricks Thrown Through Windows Of Political Offices On North Side
CHICAGO (CBS) - On the North Side of Chicago during the past two days, bricks have been thrown through the windows of some political and governmental offices. CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
One of the incidents happened in a building in the Edgewater neighborhood that houses several government offices, including one belonging to Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky.
Two smashed windows are boarded up. The middle one was just replaced. The motive is not clear.
The "S's" are missing from Congresswoman Schakowsky's title, smashed by a brick paver thrown through her office windows overnight.
"I think it's totally amazing and disgusting that it happened," said Louis Spraggins, who works in Edgewater.
So do people who work for Schakowsky and the other elected officials who share space in that building; officials like State Senator Heather Steans and Ald. Mary Ann Smith of the 48th Ward.
When asked if they think it's politically motivated, Schakowsky's District Director Leslie Combs said, "There's just no way of knowing. There was no marks on the bricks. We have no idea."
But they're wondering. It's the second time their windows have been smashed since Sunday.
Campaign office windows right up the block were broken, too. They've even kept the evidence on display.
And just a half mile away, around the corner, 46th Ward aldermanic candidate Andy Lam arrived at work to find an almost identical scenario: a brick resting on shattered glass and lying on his office floor.
"I feel saddened by this senseless act of violence," said Lam.
Despite the coincidence, Combs said, "The Chicago Police told me that, at this point, they can't connect the two [incidents]."
Connection or not, some think, "There's better ways to express yourself other than violence or doing damage to other people's property," said Spraggins.
Chicago Police will only tell CBS 2 that they are investigating. But those who work in both offices say they are looking at increasing security, and possibly surveillance.
