During a speech addressing ongoing violence and protests in
the city, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Tuesday that her administration
will pool together $10 million in funding for small businesses impacted by
looting.
“We will continue working to isolate grant funds to support
those businesses that have suffered most and need to recover,” she said.
According to the mayor, the new fund will be provided to
business owners citywide, with extra weight being given to requests from
businesses on the South and West sides of the city.
Lightfoot also called on private companies to pitch into the
effort, as well as outside philanthropists looking to give a leg up to
businesses impacted by looting and vandalism during unrest over the last
several days.
On Saturday, businesses in downtown Chicago were looted and
vandalized, with windows smashed up and down the Magnificent Mile and several
Loop businesses being set on fire.
After city officials limited access to the downtown area and
the Central Business District Sunday, protests moved elsewhere, with looting
reported in Wicker Park and in several South and West side communities.
That looting also spread to Chicago’s suburbs, including
Naperville and Cicero.
Despite the dramatic images of looters smashing windows and
stealing merchandise, Lightfoot renewed her calls for protests to remain
peaceful.
“If there is to be an uprising, let it be for peace,” she
said. “I call on all people of good will, young, old, black, brown, white,
Asian, from all faith traditions, to rise up with me for peace.”
