Posted on January 13, 2016

‘Black Wall Street’ Will Block Trading Centers Friday: Activists

Alex Nitkin, DNA Info, January 11, 2016

The organizers behind the “Black Friday” and “Black Christmas” protests are setting their sights on the city’s financial district next, they announced in a Monday news conference.

Flanked by relatives of police shooting victims, leaders of the Coalition for a New Chicago called on protesters to crowd the Chicago Board of Trade and other stock exchanges around 6 a.m. Friday to prevent employees there from entering the buildings.

Calling previous disruptions of shopping on Michigan Avenue “a tremendous success,” Coalition for a New Chicago President Rev. Gregory Livingston said the protest, dubbed “Black Wall Street,” will aim to prevent “billions” of dollars of trade profits from flowing through the downtown center.

“We want people to know that poor people across this city are in pain, so we look at this as a redistribution of that pain,” Livingston said. “Since the mayor has made it clear he only listens to the monied interests in this city, we’re going to take it straight to them.”

Leaders said protesters will convene around 6 a.m. Friday on Jackson Boulevard near LaSalle Street, blocking floor traders from getting to the Chicago Board of Trade or the Chicago Board of Options.

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