Brickyard looted; many stores at 6 Corners close early; city may not move into Phase 3 due to unrest

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by BRIAN NADIG

Many Northwest Side businesses closed early on Sunday afternoon following reports of looting at the Brickyard shopping center, 2600 N. Narragansett Ave.

One city official described the scene at the Brickyard as “not good,” with reports of thieves filling up cars with merchandise from several businesses. At one point looters were running out of Marshalls as police pulled up to the store.

“Neighbors, all stores in the Brickyard have closed. Please stay home tonight,” Alderman Gilbert Villegas (36th) posted on Facebook at about 4 p.m. Sunday.

At Six Corners, Jewel-Osco, Walgreen’s, Binny’s Beverage Depot and Family Dollar reportedly closed early, with police being stationed in front of Binny’s.

There also have been reports of police confronting mobs at suburban malls, possibly due to the fact that access to Downtown Chicago has been made difficult due to exit ramps on the Kennedy Expressway being closed and the CTA shutting down service to the Loop.

In addition, on Sunday evening Pace announced that it was halting all service until further notice.

A curfew from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. (except for essential workers) remains in effect in Chicago, possibly for several more days, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said that due to the unrest the city may not move into its Phase 3 reopening, currently scheduled for Wednesday, June 3. In that phase, hair salons and cafes would be allowed to open.

City officials have expressed concern that the large protest gatherings over the police killing of George Floyd could lead to coronavirus outbreaks.

Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th) said that the 16th (Jefferson Park) Police District received about 100 extra officers on Sunday.

Alderman Anthony Napolitano (41st) said that he has been driving around checking on many social media reports of looting and other problems on the Far Northwest Side but that he is finding nearly all of them to be unfounded as of 5 p.m.

Napolitano said that the looting and violence in Downtown Chicago last night and at shopping centers on Sunday afternoon have nothing to do with honoring the memory of Floyd, describing the looters as opportunists. “These are fragile times right now,” he said.

On Saturday night, the Northwest Side Coalition Against Racism and Hate held a “Justice for George Floyd Caravan” in which participants drove along Nagle Avenue and Northwest Highway in the Norwood Park.

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