Protesters demand Chicago mayor's resignation

CHICAGO - More than 300 protesters marched through downtown Chicago on Wednesday, asking for the resignation of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel.

The protestors held signs with Emmanuel's face crossed out and such slogans as "Resign Rahm" written at the bottom.

The protest erupted hours after Emmanuel, in his address to a special meeting of Chicago City Council, apologized for the city's handling of Laquan McDonald case, and pledged to make reforms to restore trust in the police.

Protesters accused the mayor and high-ranking police officers of delaying charges against officer Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with the murder of 17-year-old African-American McDonald.

Quovadis Green, a protestor, told Xinhua that "Rahm Emmanuel said sorry, but we don't want his sorry, we want his resignation."

Many protesters were also suspicious of the timing of the charges put against the officer, as the release of a video footage showing Van Dyke shooting McDonald was coincided with the decision to charge Van Dyke.

"I really do think there was a coverup, and we need justice. We demand justice," 17-year-old Gift Maseona from South Africa told Xinhua.

Recent reports and statistical analyses from the US Department of Justice showed racial profiling remains a problem in the United States.

According to US Department of Labor's Bureau of Justice Statistics, for the year 2005, the most recent data available, African-Americans were twice as likely as white Americans to be arrested during a routine traffic stop. Many protesters in Chicago have encountered similar behavior.

"Just the other day I was walking down the street, it was a known narcotics spot, I was walking through, they stopped me, asked me where are the drugs at, tell me who's got them and we'll let you go. How am I supposed to know any of this if I'm just walking through?" Karueon Wooten, 20, from the east side of Chicago told Xinhua.

The marchers said the purpose of the protest is beyond just the resignation of the mayor, but for a more broad desire for racial equality and justice.

"I have an 18-year-old brother, (and) a 12-year-old brother that could be one of these victims. I'm 24, so I could be one of these victims. I want to make sure that he does not have to go through what we're going through, so that when he's my age, we're not fighting for the same issues that we've been fighting," Wooten said.

Wooten told Xinhua that although he has hope for justice in the future, he does not expect it to come any time soon.