'Vigil for Black Lives': Hundreds attend peaceful vigil for Black lives in West Loop

CHICAGO - UIC students called for a "Vigil for Black Lives" at Union Park in the West Loop Wednesday, which wound up drawing in what appeared to be 200-300 people.

Many of them were non-students and outraged over the shooting of Jacob Blake and other police shootings of African Americans.

The vigil was very peaceful; candles were lit, speakers were heard and most of the attendees were sitting quietly during the messages. 

The first speaker characterized Wednesday’s gathering as a space of mourning for the two people killed last night in Kenosha in the wake of the shooting of Jacob Blake. 

This crowd repeatedly called for the defunding of police departments and voiced outrage over the growing number of Black Americans dying in altercations with police. 

This group also called on Mayor Lightfoot to remove police officers from Chicago Schools. That, on the same night the CPS Board voted to renew its contract with CPD for one year.