The governor of Illinois has been accused of living in a “fantasy land” after he condemned Chicago’s mayor on social media for allowing the rally that saw the city’s interstate shut down by anti-violence protesters.
Thousands of protesters marched down the 2.5 kilometer stretch of Interstate 94, also called the Dan Ryan Expressway, protesting gun violence gripping the city. The Saturday march ran for roughly three hours and under 90 minutes after local police shut off northbound traffic while the governor's office wanted them to block just two lanes.
Governor Bruce Rauner took to Twitter to air his frustration over the closed highway. “I’m disappointed in the Mayor,” Rauner said on Twitter. “I am calling on the Mayor to take swift and decisive action to put an end to this kind of chaos. I will work with him in good faith and urge him to do his job so that the people of Chicago feel safe.”
Mayor Rahm Emanuel was quick to hit back, tweeting a simple, yet savage, quip. “It was a peaceful protest,” he posted. “Delete your account.”
Frustrated citizens joined in, with one adding, “Bruce, if this is chaos, then you are living in fantasyland” and another stating that “There was no chaos… The only chaos was in the state's handling of it, and that is on you.”
Other have called on the president to step in and help address the issue of gun violence in Illinois. “The people are demanding action and doing nothing is standing on the side of violence,” one Twitter user wrote.
Others, however, turned their frustration on the mayor due to the skyrocketing crime rate. “Your record speaks for itself Mr. Mayor. The murder rate has doubled on your watch,” one user said.
Protesters who shut down a major Chicago interstate told local media that they are trying to put pressure on public officials to demand an answer to the gun violence. Over 1,300 people have been shot in Chicago since the beginning of the year.
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