Chicago protest: Hundreds call to defund CPD at Whitney Young High School

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets again in Chicago Saturday night to call on city leaders to defund the police department.

The protest, titled "Break the Piggy Bank," began around 6 p.m. at Whitney Young Magnet High School, 211 S. Laflin St., which lies just steps away from the Chicago Police Department's training academy.

"This isn't something that's just cute, or something that we come out to just make a statement. This is our life," said Alycia Kamil, with Good Kids Mad City. "I need the funding while I'm young."

Protesters called for the complete removal of cops in public schools after CPS announced the district will reduce funding for school resource officers and won't pay for police while schools are closed for remote learning.

"CPD out of all of the public spaces that we take up room in," Kamil said to the crowd gathered around her. "CPD out of CPS schools."

Students spoke about having more cops than counselors.

"We don't have full-time nurses. We don't have full-time social workers," one young activist said. "Defund the police, fund into communities. Put funding into children of this city."

Mayor Lori Lightfoot has said she's committed to investing in Black and brown neighborhoods. The groups said they plan on marching every day until they get what they want, and what they say they deserve.