Protest organizers vow 16 days of demonstrations for number of times teen was shot by officer

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Organizers said there will be more protests in the week ahead over the deadly police shooting of Laquan McDonald, promising a total of 16 days of demonstrations, the same number of times the teenager was shot.

While there were no demonstrators or rallies as of early Sunday evening, there was a noticeable police presence at Water Tower and along North Michigan Avenue, as activists this weekend promised more protests.

There could be more demonstrations along the Magnificent Mile Sunday night as protesters vowed to continue their protests. Damon Williams, a member of the Let Us Breathe Collective and BYP 100, said there should be demonstrations for the next 16-days or until protestors' demands are met.

"People should be outside and vocally showing their opposition to a world that is violent and destroys black bodies and marginalized bodies," Williams said.

Since Friday's protest march which shut down the Mag Mile most of the day, there have been other marches downtown and in the city's neighborhoods.

Although those rallies have had much smaller numbers, the message was the same, calling on the mayor, the police superintendent, and the state's attorney to resign.

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke, the cop at the center of the controversial police shooting, is expected Monday to make his first court appearance since the city released the video of the fatal shooting. Some community activists are now considering plans for protests to include holiday shopping and business along State Street.

"We are definitely committed to making sure that the financial structure of what we feel are our oppressors right now is going to be agitated and this will not go away," said activist Jedidiah Brown.

Last week, a Cook County judge said that he wanted to see the dashcam video before the officer had a bond hearing.

This weekend, protest organizers are promising more demonstrations.