Chicago Protests: Loop, Business District to Reopen, but Curfew Remains in Effect

Here are the latest developments from across Chicago

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Protesters, many peaceful, gathered and marched in Chicago again Tuesday after unrest continued for the fourth consecutive night following the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Businesses across the city continued clean-up efforts after looting and vandalism overnight in some neighborhoods.

Here are the latest developments from across Chicago:

8:50 p.m.: Curfew Remains in Effect, but Central Business District and Loop to be Reopened

In anticipation of the rollout of Phase Three of the city’s Phased Reopening plan, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that access to the Central District and the Loop will be restored after being shut off for several days.

According to the mayor, full access to the area will be reintroduced for all Chicagoans, but select closures and service interruptions will remain in effect until further notice.

The mayor also announced that the citywide curfew for all residents and visitors, effective from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., will also remain in effect.

8:10 p.m.: Protests Continue in Bronzeville

A largely-peaceful protest continues Tuesday evening in the city's Bronzeville neighborhood, as hundreds are continuing to march through the city streets.

NBC 5's Mike Lorber was over the scene earlier this evening:

Elsewhere in the city, protests have been conducted in several neighborhoods, including Wrigleyville. A rally is also being held by faith leaders at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

8 p.m.: Metra to Run Modified Schedule Wednesday

After service was suspended for the previous two days, Metra will resume train service on Wednesday, albeit with a modified slate of trains.

According to the agency, trains will run on a Sunday schedule, with the final inbound and outbound trains of the night canceled on all train lines that are running.

The agency has canceled train service over the last two days due to the continuing unrest around the area. Service was suspended at 3:30 p.m. Sunday and has yet to resume.

Hundreds of protesters turned out on Chicago's North Side Tuesday, and NBC 5's Phil Rogers has the story.

7:40 p.m.: CTA to Operate on Reduced Schedule, but No Full Shutdown Announced

Instead of suspending all train and bus service Tuesday night, the CTA will operate on a reduced schedule, with no trains available through the downtown area:

7 p.m.: Mayor Calls for Police Reforms, Sets Up Grant Fund to Help Businesses

As protests and civil unrest continue in Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered a "State of the City" address on Tuesday evening, laying out several proposals for reform in the Chicago Police Department.

Lightfoot, speaking from City Hall, proposed several accountability measures, including more training for officers about the history of the communities they serve, additional wellness programs and expansion of an early intervention pilot program.

The mayor also announced the funding of a $10 million grant fund, designed to help small businesses impacted by looting and vandalism in recent days. She also called on private equity and philanthropy to expand that fund to help as many businesses as possible.

6:45 p.m.: CTA Suspends Green Line Service

After suspending Pink Line service earlier in the day, the CTA has now suspended Green Line service on Tuesday:

It is unclear whether the agency will suspend service on the remainder of its lines and bus service lines, as it has over the last several evenings while Chicago has been under a curfew.

4:30 p.m.: Mayor Announces Plan to Deliver State of the City Address Tonight

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is set to address the city Tuesday evening after an afternoon of protests and just hours before the city enters phase three of its reopening plan.

The mayor is scheduled to hold a state of the city address at 6:30 p.m. from her ceremonial office. The speech will be streamed live in the player above and broadcast live in an NBC 5 Special Report.

The mayor's office said the speech will aim to "contextualize events that have happened in recent days."

Watch live here.

4:20 p.m.: CTA Suspends Pink Line Service at Request of Public Safety Officials

The CTA has suspended service on the Pink Line Tuesday afternoon at the request of public safety officials.

The agency made the announcement just before 4:30 p.m.:

The Pink Line primarily runs from downtown Chicago to the city’s Southwest Side. It is unclear how long trains will be suspended along the line.

4 p.m.: Emotional Moment of Silence

2:30 p.m. LIVE: Hundreds March Near Wrigley Field in Protest That Stretches Blocks

Sky 5 is live over the scene of a large protest near Wrigley Field on Chicago's North Side. Hundreds are marching near the stadium in a demonstration that stretches for blocks. Roads are closed in the area.

Watch live in the player above.

2 p.m.: Protest Planned for Wrigley Field

A protest has been planned beginning at 2 p.m. at Wrigley Field in the city's Lake View neighborhood, 44th Ward Ald. Tom Tunney said in an email.

Protesters planned to march south on Clark Street, Tunney said, adding that details were limited. He encouraged residents and businesses along commercial streets to remove valuables from windows and paper or board windows if possible.

NBC Sky 5 will be over the protest as it happens, which can be watched live in the video player above.

1:45 p.m. Police Say Nearly 400 Arrests Made in Chicago Monday

Chicago police say nearly 400 people were arrested Monday citywide, 146 of which were for looting.

The number is almost half the total arrests made in Chicago a day earlier.

10:30 a.m.: Chicago Will Enter Phase 3 of Reopening Plan Wednesda

Chicago will enter the third phase of its reopening plan amid the coronavirus pandemic on Wednesday as planned even after protests and unrest gripped the city, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday.

The next phase of reopening is slated to allow several businesses to reopen with new guidelines and limitations, and small non-essential gatherings of up to 10 people. Some of the businesses allowed to reopen include restaurants for outdoor dining with appropriate social distancing and sanitary measures.

6 a.m.: CTA Service Resumes

CTA service resumed at 6 a.m. but will not operate near the downtown area, the transit agency said. Service on multiple train lines was suspended into the Loop, while bus service will not run from Western Avenue to the lakefront and Fullerton Avenue to 47th Street.

9:15 p.m.: Lake Shore Drive Blocked by Protesters Near Addison

Protesters on Chicago's North Side have blocked both sides of Lake Shore Drive near Addison Monday evening.

Video shows protesters on the roadway, chanting slogans and blocking traffic.

Protests have been going on all evening all over the North Side, with large gatherings reported in Uptown and other locations.

7:53 p.m.: CTA, Metra Suspend Service Again

CTA personnel say that the agency will suspend all rail and bus service effective at 9:30 p.m. due to safety concerns.

Service is expected to resume at 6 a.m. Tuesday, but the agency will provide updates on whether that resumption will be able to take place.

Metra officials also said that their rail service will be suspended once again on Tuesday. Service was also suspended Monday and had been halted at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, and there's no indication of when the agency will resume service at this time.

6:45 p.m.: Hundreds Gathered on Chicago's North Side

Demonstrators have gathered in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood near the intersection of Broadway and Montrose on Monday afternoon.

Sky 5 was over the scene, and Chicago Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa posted a photo of the huge crowds:

4:30 p.m.: Pritzker Issues Disaster Proclamation as Looting, Civil Unrest Continue Throughout State

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has issued a disaster proclamation for numerous counties throughout the state to help with recovery efforts following looting and civil unrest over the weekend.

The proclamation covers Champaign, Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Madison, Macon, Sangamon and Will counties, Pritzker announced during a press conference Monday.

“(This order) will allow us to coordinate with state agencies and resources to assist local governments with response and recovery efforts,” Pritzker said.

11:15 a.m.: Quarantine for 14 Days If You Attended Protests or Gatherings, Chicago Health Officials Urge

Chicago health officials urged anyone who attended a protest or gathering over the weekend to self-quarantine at home for 14 days if possible, warning residents that the coronavirus pandemic is not over - even if it's not at the top of mind.

"While we continue to make progress, I am concerned we may see ourselves take a step backward down the line against COVID-19," Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said at a news conference Monday with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and other city officials to discuss the protests, looting, vandalism and unrest that gripped the city over the weekend.

"That's because COVID-19 is caused by a virus, and that virus doesn't care about what's going on in the city," Arwady continued, adding that COVID-19 still does not yet have a cure or effective treatmeant and "still takes every opportunity it can to spread."

10:45 a.m.: 699 Arrested Sunday in Looting, Unrest Across Chicago, Police Say

Chicago police arrested at least 699 people Sunday as vandalism, looting, violence and unrest gripped the city once again, Supt. David Brown said Monday.

Brown said the majority of those arrests were made for looting, and 461 of the arrests were made on the city's South and West Sides.

At least 48 people were shot, 17 fatally, across the city, according to police.

10:40 a.m.: Oakbrook Center Mall Closed Again

Oak Brook Police said Oakbrook Center mall will remain closed for a second day Monday.

"Any business wishing to stay open or closed is based on them and not on the Oak Brook Police Department," the department tweeted. "We will protect and serve anyone in our community."

10:30 a.m.: Chicago Saw 65K 911 Calls in 24 Hours

Chicago emergency dispatchers received roughly 65,000 calls to 911 in a 24-hour period as protests, looting, vandalism and violence gripped the city Sunday, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said.

That figure was more than 50,000 calls than dispatchers typically receive in that time frame, Lightfoot said Monday during a news conference to discuss the weekend unrest. 

"The police department was responding to these calls as best they could," she said. "The challenge was, it was everywhere. Everywhere.

"If we had a police department three times the size, we would've had a difficult time responding," Lightfoot added. "This is an all-hands-on-deck moment and not just for law enforcement but also for city government and also for you."

See What Chicago, Michigan Avenue Looks Like After Night of Destruction Following Protests

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