Chicagoans outraged after FOP hires cop who fatally shot Laquan McDonald
CHICAGO (FOX 32 News) - Angry protests erupted outside the headquarters of the Fraternal Order of Police a day after FOX 32 News broke the story of the FOP hiring the officer charged in the shooting death of Laquan McDonald.
Jason Van Dyke was hired as a janitor for $12 an hour so he could provide for his family. After being charged, he was put on no pay status by the police department.
On Thursday night, protesters chanted, “No justice, no peace, no justice, no peace,” as they plastered the front door of the FOP headquarters with pictures of Laquan McDonald and others who were shot by police.
They say they want justice.
“You hired a murderer! How are you bridging the gap between the community and the police department, and Laquan McDonald is the most sensitive situation going on in Chicago, and you hire a murderer,” yelled protester Kirah Moe to the officers who stood watch outside the building.
“To the Superintendent, what the FOP has done has made us feel this pain all over again,” said protester Jedidiah Brown, who demanded to know what the interim superintendent Eddie Johnson thought.
News Affairs said they would have no comment on the situation.
“I'm not apologizing for it, we do what we're supposed to do for our sisters and our brothers in law enforcement and that's my job,” said FOP President Dean Angelo Sr. He added that they have done this for other officers. He also pointed out that Van Dyke is innocent until proven guilty.
Earlier Thursday, another small group of protesters chanted “Who gotta go, Dean Angelo,”as they demonstrated against Van Dyke being hired.
“It's a high profile case, it looks terrible on camera, why would you want to bring that to your establishment, why would you want to hire that to represent you?” said protester Jared Stevenson.
A counter protester was also on hand to show his support for police, and Van Dyke working to support his family. But high profile community leaders are not buying the FOP’s argument.
“It's discraceful and it's embarrassing,” said Father Michael Pfleger, who called Van Dyke’s hiring a slap in the face to the black community.
“Everything we try to do to try to help build this broken bridge back between community and law enforcement, they blow it up with things like this,” Father Pfleger said.