Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot addresses looting of businesses within the city's Miracle Mile during an Aug. 10 press conference. Photo: Office of the Mayor, City of Chicago
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Chicago’s High-End Miracle Mile Neighborhood Looted
Some 100 people were arrested in Chicago Aug. 10 for charges including looting high-end boutiques of the city’s Magnificent Mile neighborhood.
It was the second time this year the area was the victim of looting and rioting, said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a press conference.
“These individuals engaged in what could only be described as brazen and extensive criminal looting,” she said. “To be clear, this has nothing to do with legitimate and protected First Amendment expression. This was straight-up felony criminal conduct.”
Rioting took place in Chicago’s Miracle Mile in the days following the May 25 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Recent looting followed a gunfight and subsequent unrest on Chicago’s South Side. Social-media users later published posts that urged looting on the Miracle Mile, according to media reports.
The mayor noted that the looting was a big setback for area stores, which continue to deal with the prolonged economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Stores that were targeted were not just large chain stores. They were small businesses and restaurants representing our city’s jobs and livelihoods," Lightfoot said. "They all were in the process of recovering and getting back to work, and now this.”
Mainstream-brand and luxury stores that were experienced vandalism and looting included Coach, Timberland, Nike, Burberry, Ugg, Zara, Saks Fifth Avenue, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Bloomingdale’s, AllSaints and Saint Laurent.
