Sadness.....violence

West of Chicago, on the edge of Cook County. Our social media indicates looting in Berwyn. Best Buy in Downers Grove looted just as they were shutting down because they were told looting was moving their way. Oak Brook Mall was shutting down earlier today. Aurora had some looting and rioting and they were heading to the Outlet Mall. My town sent out a notice telling people to avoid shopping areas and stay home if possible. There has also been activity south of the city and in Indiana.

Very sad to see. Last night four young men on State Street in Chicago were interviewed and explained that they felt this is all they had left to get people to listen. They tried peaceful protests and Black people died at the hands of police. Tried peaceful again and Black people died. Again and again. Now, they will get someone’s attention.

It will be interesting to see if and what sort of social change we might see After this. It seems that big changes happen in this country out of things like this. And this one is pretty widespread.

Tonight we went to get ice cream, coming back there was another protest going on at the oark about 1/2 mile from our home.

I’ve never seen so many SWAT vehicles assembled in our town in my life. Police had drones up, there were SWAT in front of the Whole Foods entrance as well as other businesses.

Thankfully it was peaceful.

Yesterday’s protest downtown was mostly peaceful snd after the majority of protestors left, some group started throwing rocks at the windows and got dosed with tear gas. A person got hit with a truck that drive out crazy into the street, luckily no one else was hurt.

Yeah, Long Beach and Santa Monica are being looted now. I’m all for nonviolent protesting but this looting is utter bullshit.

I’m in the city — Lincoln Park. We aren’t seeing much up here except the huge Target on Elston and 90/94 is being looted right now, as well as a Mariano’s nearby. And a medical marijuana dispensary had their window shattered but looters were scared away by the alarm.

I understand what’s going on in the Loop or Michigan Ave, to some extent. People aren’t being heard with peaceful protesting, so I understand the escalation. But the random looting is just opportunists who are in it for free stuff, not fighting for their principles.

Apparently there were a bunch of people from Indiana who came over 😒

ETA: I stand corrected. Our Mariano’s is currently being looted. Last night some stores less than a mile from us were looted. My husband is staying up later tonight just in case.

I work across the street from a mall just north of Pittsburgh (7 miles). There has been police presence at the entrance all day because of reports of possible looting at the mall (which hasn't even opened yet from the pandemic although Macy's had).

It's time for these governors to declare martial law in their states otherwise this is never going to end.  

They've just set historic St John's church in DC on fire.  

We’re on night 3 of protests. Last night was horrible and someone was killed by a business owner. We are under curfew 8pm - 6am for 72 hrs. Didn’t stop the jerks going downtown again tonight.

Our law enforcement knew about the planned looting last night and know where it’s apparently planned for tonight. They’ve basically said they won’t protect property.

I felt encouraged earlier this week by reading posters’ accounts of family members who were fed up with the current administration and were going to vote straight Democrat. Things have been looking better for a change in government. What’s going on now upsets me because when people are scared and feel endangered, they vote for authoritarian figures.

People understand and agree with demonstrations and protest for change that has to happen, but mindless looting and destruction are going to work very much to Trumps advantage. I feel absolutely hopeless.

Is it because they’re focused on humans?

I ask only because I’ve heard a few other comments about that.

In Los Angeles around 10pm the police started pulling over cars once the left the scene to arrest looters. They didn’t get all but got quite a few.

I manage a retail eCommerce site. One of our supply vendors is in MN and was damaged. UPS and FedEx are curtailing service and hours of operation. So, we’ll end up with delays filling online orders as a result.