West Cook News

Cicero residents plan a community clean up following more than a week of largely peaceful protests that followed a night of looting and other violence on June 1.

"The Town of Cicero is moving forward with working toward keeping Cicero clean," Town President Larry Dominick said on the town's website. "We are urging all homeowners to participate in an opportunity to place trash items out in your alleys for pickup by the Public Works Department for a one-week period. We encourage all Cicero homeowners to take time to do a spring cleaning of your property and place the trash out for pickup with your regular trash in the alley."

Cicero residents also were encouraged to clean parkways and help neighbors who may not be able to clean their property themselves. Additional trash pickups are scheduled during the week of June 22-29.

Cicero Town President Larry Dominick | Contributed photo

On June 1, a local television news crew's footage showed multiple groups of people, some armed with baseball bats, active around South Cicero Avenue and West Cermak Road, which police taped off by about 7 p.m. Cicero Avenue was closed between Roosevelt and Ogden, Cermak Road was closed between 47th and 50th avenues, and 16th Street was closed between 46th and Cicero. Cicero residents were urged remain indoors.

"Regarding the incidents at Cicero and Cermak today: We are working with the State Police and Cook County Sheriff's Police to keep our town safe and secure," the Cicero Police Department said in a June 1 Twitter post.

Two people were killed, stores were vandalized and 60 were arrested. The following day, Cicero declared a state of emergency and continued the stay-at-home recommendation as Cicero residents accused local police of allowing gangs to roam during the looting.

Dominick said during a news conference June 3 that peaceful protesters were welcome in Cicero but that local police would "stand up" to those bent on crime and violence.

"When they come here to riot, break windows, fight, shoot, we are not going to tolerate it," he said. “We are going to stand up to them … and I know in the end we are going to win.

Protests have since been peaceful in Cicero, including the afternoon of June 7 when protesters gathered for a Black Lives Matter march that turned out to be a peaceful demonstration down Laramie Avenue. Police maintained a presence during the protests, promising in a June 7 Twitter post to "continue to provide safety for all involved in #PeacefulProtests."  

Cicero also declared the day of peaceful protests "a great success."

"Thank you to all that did their part in keeping the peace," the Twitter post said.

On June 8, the curfew issued with the emergency declaration was lifted and barricades were moved to allow traffic to flow.