By Emma Cummins
Editorial Page Editor

This week, protests began in Chicago after a video was released of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald being shot by police officer Jason Van Dyke. Over the course of 15 seconds, 16 shots were fired, all by Van Dyke.

There remains controversy over the video and whether or not it tells the whole story. Proponents of McDonald’s case, including his family, state that in the video, McDonald clearly did not mean any harm. Others remain more skeptical; Van Dyke’s lawyer, Daniel Q. Herbert, states that the video is misleading and that McDonald was carrying a three inch knife and had PCP in his system.

Since the incident occurred in 2014, the Chicago city officials have come under scrutiny. Van Dyke has had issues in the past involving accusations of verbal abuse and excessive force but the police department did not find Van Dyke to be guilty of the 20 accusations hurled at him. No definitive statement has been made about Van Dyke’s fate concerning the shooting of McDonald, but the Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez has said that the releasing of the video may have moved up the date to charge Van Dyke with first degree murder, but the indictment is not set in stone.

Despite no decision being made in the courts, the citizens of Chicago have responded in their own way: peaceful marches through the city. Exponents of the cause express their desire for culture change, and transparency within the court system. All protests have been peaceful, and many of the protesters only wish to bring awareness to the plight of the black community.

These protests stand in stark contrast to Detroit and Baltimore. What do you think? Is the best way to make any changes to our society through the protests in Baltimore, or through the protests in Chicago?