Clean Up in Aurora
A day of reopening for many businesses in Aurora today has instead become a day of cleaning up. Last night, what started as a peaceful protest in response to the death of George Floyd turned violent as protestors took to the streets of Downtown Aurora. According to a statement released on Facebook by the Aurora Police Department, in at least two instances shots were fired at officers working to contain the crowd, buildings were set on fire, and bricks, glass and rocks were thrown at officers. One officer suffered injuries as a result. Many businesses and buildings sustained damage. A total of 14 people were arrested.
Hundreds of community members were at Downtown Aurora this morning to help with the cleaning of last night’s aftermath. With brooms in hand community members swept away glass that was shattered at businesses while others boarded up the outside of buildings. The City of Aurora is still assessing damage costs and encourage businesses that were affected to call the police department’s non-emergency line at 630-265-5000.
Naperville Takes Proactive Measures
As Aurora declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew in response to the violence that broke out, some businesses in Naperville took proactive measures. Menards put protective pallets in front of their doors, Target closed early, the downtown Apple store boarded up their storefront, and other businesses in the downtown area considered doing the same. Mayor Steve Chirico said the city is keeping a watchful eye and is prepared to respond if anything breaks out.
Peaceful Rally in Naperville
Yesterday afternoon hundreds gathered at a peaceful rally held in Cantore Park in response to George Floyd’s death. The event included stories shared by black community members and a reading of the names of 26 individuals who died in police incidents. Organizers hope this will raise awareness police brutality.
Naperville North Senior Celebration
The graduating class of Naperville North High School was treated to an online Zoom party on Saturday night for their Senior Celebration. SC20 Online LIVE! allowed seniors to explore different activities including fortune telling, magic, dancing and karaoke, and more. Seniors also had commemorative cookies delivered to each of their homes.
