After another deadly holiday weekend in Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson pushed back against President Donald Trump’s plan to deploy the National Guard address rising violence.
At a Labor Day rally with union leaders, Johnson led a chant: “No federal troops in the city of Chicago! No militarized force in the city of Chicago! We’re going to defend our democracy in the city of Chicago!”
Johnson went on to tell the crowd, “Are you prepared to defend this land? … If this president decides to continue to break this Constitution, it’s going to be the labor movement that stitches it back together,” WBEZ Chicago reported.
Supporters voiced anger toward Trump. One attendee was photographed flipping off Trump Tower in downtown Chicago. “We don’t stand for a president that promotes hate,” Jennifer Sabo said. “It feels like our voices have been censored.”
The rally coincided with continued weekend shootings. Over Labor Day weekend, 58 people were shot and eight were killed, according to ABC News. The weekend before saw six dead and 27 injured. Over the Fourth of July holiday, 40 were shot and seven killed, WTTW reported.
Chicago’s violent crime rate is 540 per 100,000 residents — higher than San Diego and Las Vegas, Newsweek reported. The city also leads in property crime, with 3,472 incidents per 100,000 residents. By comparison, Los Angeles reports 1,483 and New York City 2,368.
Some residents have called on Trump to send in the Guard to restore order, according to Fox News interviews.
“We didn’t play with guns, and we didn’t listen to drill rap music at that very young age. These kids are carrying guns around the age of eight years old. And they’re killing other eight-year-old kids with guns. It’s insane to me,” a resident identified only as King told Fox News.
Dennis White, a former National Guard officer, agreed. “We need, I’d say, about 10,000 police. Personally, we do need mental health. Now, here’s the thing: if you want to have mental health and have a mental hospital, get these illegals out of here,” he told Fox News.