Yesterday, The Root reported that Anjanette Young agreed to a meeting with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot as well as a public forum to discuss the city’s handling of her case. In an effort to provide transparency and accountability, Young, her lawyer, the mayor, the police superintendent, select Chicago aldermen, and members of the media were all encouraged to attend. Now, however, it seems those plans have been scrapped.
According to Chicago’s ABC7, Lightfoot spoke at an unrelated news conference on Monday where she told the press that a meeting of that nature would violate coronavirus pandemic restrictions and potentially violate the Open Meetings Act. While details on how to go about the meeting in a different way are still being worked out, Mayor Lightfoot also added: “It is certainly my hope that Miss Young and I meet and meet soon.”
In a statement, Young’s attorney Ken Saulter canceled both the meeting with the mayor and the public forum and reiterated the fact that simple apologies would not suffice.
More from Chicago’s ABC 7:
“The mayor’s apologies without action ring hollow and fall on deaf ears,” he said in a statement canceling both meetings. He said Young would continue her lawsuit against the city.
The botched raid and the city’s handling of it has prompted anger from pastors, lawmakers and civil rights activists who’ve decried it as racist and an affront to a Black woman’s dignity.
Though the incident happened before Lightfoot took office in May 2019, her administration later tried to block the video from airing on television and rejected Young’s Freedom of Information Request to obtain video of the incident. Young later obtained it through a lawsuit.
In the aftermath of the raid, several actions have taken place. Chicago’s top attorney Mark Flessner resigned, former federal judge Anne Claire Williams was brought in by the mayor to take an outside look into the city’s handling of Young’s case, and 12 officers were placed on administrative duty with the Civilian Office of Police and NAACP also conducting an investigation of their own.
DISCUSSION
Video conference. Or would that take away from the visual impact this meeting was intended to have where the mayor and the superintendent look like they’re concerned and responding while nothing really comes from it?
I still think the best apology for Young and other victims of police injustice would be for the mayor to meet with them after they’ve made changes, and explain what steps have been taken to ensure this doesn’t keep happening. The CPD’s actions were the problem, not words. Make up for it with meaningful actions, not more words.