Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot accused of dancing at parade over rising crime

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has come under fire for dancing merrily in the streets during the Lunar New Year parade as violence surges and major retailers pull away from the Windy City’s top attraction.

Lightfoot, who is up for re-election next month, was caught on video being surrounded by drum roll at Sunday’s parade.

Her carefree dancing prompted one Chicago news outlet to denounce her as “out of touch with reality”.

“Since the start of @chicagosmayor’s term in Chicago, there have been 2,278 murders and over 9,000 shots. Since January 1, 41 murders and 194 shots have been committed in the city. This is stated in Twitter edition of the Chicago Contrarian..

“And yet here Lightfoot dances blissfully and begs voters to bring her back to office,” he added.

The city’s crime rate has skyrocketed by 61% in the first three weeks of 2023 compared to the previous year, according to Chicago police data. Authorities received 4,844 crime reports, up from 3,013 in the same period last year.

Two people were killed and 13 people, including a 3-year-old boy, were injured this weekend in gunfire across the city, ABC7 reported. Over the weekend, seven people were killed and at least 23 were similarly injured.

Meanwhile, 13 robberies were committed within two hours in the south and west parts of the city on Saturday evening and early Sunday, according to NBC Chicago. In each case, one or more people in a car drove up to the victims.

Lightfoot also faced backlash after suggesting during a mayoral debate earlier this month that street vendors rely on payments other than cash to deter robberies.

“To fight crime in Chicago Mayor @LoriLightfoot says don’t use money if at all possible, (use) other forms of transactions to conduct…” What’s next? Laws requiring “cash control”? conservative radio host Larry Elder later tweeted..

In addition to a dramatic surge in crime, Chicago’s Magnificent Mile has taken a hit, with several high-profile stores leaving the iconic strip.

Businesses that closed or announced they were leaving included Banana Republic, Old Navy, Timberland, Uniqlo, Gap and Macy’s, according to NBC Chicago.

According to Crain’s, the vacancy rate in the not so “Magnificent Mile” has reached about 30%. It was reportedly below 5% just six years ago.

On Sunday, journalist William Kelly released a video of closed businesses on State Street.

“Even Old Blue Eyes couldn’t save it, and the Chicagoans @lorrylightfoot give thanks,” This was announced by the podcaster Citizen Kelly on Twitter..

“The politics that really ruined State Street and, frankly, Michigan Avenue, the Magnificent Mile was one or two hits of lockdowns, looting, but also politics that continues to this day,” Kelly told Steve Doucy on Fox news last week. .

“Believe it or not, if someone steals up to $1,000 from a store, there will be no consequences. So imagine, Steve, how long can you stay in business if someone steals $1,000 from you every single day?” he said.

“It’s $30,000 a month, $3 million a year. You can’t stay in business,” Kelly added.

Lightfoot critics also accused her of media censorship amid rampant crime in the city.

“She did nothing to stop the looting. She did nothing to stop shoplifting until today,” Kelly said on Fox News.

“She revoked my media credentials. I filed a federal press freedom suit against Mayor Lightfoot. Questions that she did not want me to ask her at City Hall, I will ask her under oath,” he said.

“I’m going to get those answers and I’m going to be covering this mayoral race and I’m going to expose what’s really behind the destruction of our city,” Kelly added.