A group of residents of a Chicago neighborhood chased out protesters they said only came out when they could demonstrate against the police, and not when blacks were murdered otherwise.
The incident unfolded in the neighborhood of Englewood on Tuesday.
“We refuse to let anyone come to Englewood and tear it up,” said activist Charles McKenzie to WFLD-TV.
Residents and activists angrily denounced the protest and accused them of only coming to the neighborhood to protest and cause trouble.
“I don’t see none of you motherf***ers when it’s kids back here shot up!” said longtime resident Darryl Smith over a loudspeaker.
“I’m out here every day! Y’all don’t come out here when the kids get shot!” he continued. “Y’all come out when it has to do with the f***ing police!”
The residents eventually drove out the protesters.
‘Those are opportunists!’
Smith spoke to reporters after the altercation and explained that he was fed up with the residents of his neighborhood being blamed for looting and rioting from outside instigators.
“A lot of people saying the looting downtown sparked from Englewood. We’re not having that. It didn’t spark from Englewood. Those are opportunists,” Smith explained.
“We are tired of Englewood getting a black eye for any and everything that happens,” he added.
Videos of the interaction appeared on social media including YouTube:
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Chicago black community activists vs Black Lives Matter protesters and ask them to leave
www.youtube.com
Smith went on to say that he saw reports that protesters were coming to Englewood again, and he sought to prevent them from causing trouble.
“No matter what they were gonna do, they’re not gonna come to Englewood, antagonizing our police, and then, when they go back home to the north side and Indiana, our police are bitter, and they’re beating up our little black boys!” Smith told reporters.
He explained that the community organizers have a relationship with the police commander there.
“Are all the police good? Now they’re not. But not all the police are bad,” he said. “We don’t need any outsiders antagonizing them!”