The NFL Draft had only taken place in New York City for 50 years before relocating to Chicago in 2015. After the events huge success, the city got a chance to repeat it this year and welcomed heaps of tourists and media. With this level of attention, a group of Chicago organizers took the opportunity to speak out against problems in the city’s infrastructure.

The 17 demonstrators, all women according to the Chicago Sun-Times, wrapped themselves in chains and walked across Lake Shore Drive in Chicago’s downtown where they stopped traffic on Saturday. They were arrested and charged with obstructing traffic. 

According to the Sun-Times, the group, comprised of Black Lives Matter activists and members of Assata’s Daughters and BYP100, were calling upon the Chicago Police Department to fire Officer Dante Servin, who was acquitted of murder charges after fatally shooting Rekia Boyd in 2012.

They also wanted to bring attention to the plight currently being faced by Chicago State University, which offers secondary education to a predominantly black student body. Chicago State recently announced that it will be laying off 300 staff members after being caught in the middle of a budget negotiation crisis in the state legislature.

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