A disturbing video appears to show a mob of teenagers assaulting a couple in Chicago during the riots that occurred in the Loop over the weekend.
Shared by CWB Chicago, the video shows a woman being cornered in the doorway of 129 North Wabash where she is pushed down by a mob of teens. The 20-year-old woman, who identified herself as “Ashley,” later told Fox News it was actually her boyfriend, 22-year-old “DJ,” who was pummeled by the crowd.
White young woman and Black boyfriend who were randomly attacked in downtown Chicago speak out.
The attack was unprovoked!👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/9f6OIL6URf— 🇺🇸 TheRealBroChris (@TheRealBroChris) April 18, 2023
Ashley said the crowd “went crazy” after DJ confronted the mob for pushing his girlfriend:
We were walking down the street and there was a really big group of guys… and girls, and DJ had my hand and he was trying to lead me through the crowd of people. And they pushed him, they pushed me. And as soon as they pushed me, I told DJ, “Hey, they just shoved.” And he was like, “Yo, don’t shove her. Who shoved her?” And as soon as he said that, everything went crazy. They said they’re gonna kill us. They turned around and started fighting. I got pushed down to the ground, and the whole group of people went to DJ, not me. I have a lot less injuries than he does, because I was more of a bystander than anything. Everyone went for him and it ended up in the middle of the street. They were jumping him in the middle of the street. It got pretty bad.
“CWBChicago has not yet confirmed that the footage is from Saturday, but the montage appeared online after Saturday’s event,” the outlet noted. “Chicago police have said that nine juveniles and six adults were arrested during the course of Saturday evening.”
“On Monday, Chicago police confirmed that a couple was attacked and robbed by a group of people in the 100 block of North Michigan Avenue around 8 p.m. Saturday. The 22-year-old man and a woman, whom police said is between 18 and 24 years old, were near Millennium Park when the group attacked them,” it added.
Fox News also reported:
The woman, identified as 18 to 24-years old, was with a 22-year-old male victim during the attack, Chicago police said.
The mob surrounded the victims and multiple people “struck the victims several times before taking their personal property and fleeing in an unknown direction,” the police report said. No arrests have been made in the incident, while the victims were transported to the University of Illinois Hospital with what were classified as “minor injuries.”
As Breitbart News reported, Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson said in a statement Sunday that the teens should not be “demonized” for their behavior.
“In no way do I condone the destructive activity we saw in the Loop and lakefront this weekend. It is unacceptable and has no place in our city. However, it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,” Johnson said.
“Our city must work together to create spaces for youth to gather safely and responsibly, under adult guidance and supervision, to ensure that every part of our city remains welcome for both residents and visitors,” he continued. “This is one aspect of my comprehensive approach to improve public safety and make Chicago livable for everyone.”
Soon-to-be former Mayor Lori Lightfoot also denounced the violence, calling it “reckless, disrespectful and unlawful behavior.”
“As I have said before, we as a city cannot and will not allow any of our public spaces to become a platform for criminal conduct,” Lightfoot said. “Most importantly, parents and guardians must know where their children are and be responsible for their actions. Instilling the important values of respect for people and property must begin at home.”
— Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) April 16, 2023
“The Chicago Police Department (CPD) was first called out in force at around 10 p.m. Wednesday night when about 200 teens erupted in a mass fight in the city’s popular Millennium Park at the southern end of the ‘Mag Mile,'” Breitbart News reported. “The Wednesday night incident became the city’s first ‘large group’ incident of the year, according to Chicago’s CBS affiliate.”
“The youths were reportedly fighting and harassing other people at the park, according to reports. The crowds of unruly teens came back on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, as police struggled to head off violence,” it added.
Editor’s Note: This story’s headline and text has been edited to better reflect the target of the attack as the woman’s boyfriend, who she says received more injuries.
Paul Roland Bois joined Breitbart News in 2021. He also directed the award-winning feature film, EXEMPLUM, which can be viewed for FREE on Tubi or rented at VIMEO On Demand. Follow him on Twitter @prolandfilms or Instagram @prolandfilms as well as on Truth Social @paulboisbreitbart.
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