Anjanette Young Cancels Meeting With Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Citing Procedural Disagreements

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 cityโ€™s handling of her case. In an effort to provide transparency and accountability, Young, herย lawyer, the mayor, the police superintendent, select Chicago aldermen, and members of the media were all…

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 cityโ€™s handling of her case. In an effort to provide transparency and accountability, Young, herย 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.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?
Trump’s Tariffs Might Stick Around. What Should We Buy Now?

According to Chicagoโ€™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: โ€œIt is certainly my hope that Miss Young and I meet and meet soon.โ€

In a statement, Youngโ€™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 Chicagoโ€™s ABC 7:

โ€œThe mayorโ€™s apologies without action ring hollow and fall on deaf ears,โ€ he said in a statement canceling both meetings. He said Young would continue her lawsuit against the city.

The botched raid and the cityโ€™s handling of it has prompted anger from pastors, lawmakers and civil rights activists whoโ€™ve decried it as racist and an affront to a Black womanโ€™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 Youngโ€™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. Chicagoโ€™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 cityโ€™s handling of Youngโ€™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.

Straight From The Root

Sign up for our free daily newsletter.