Nearly 100 individuals gathered outside the Oak Lawn Village Hall on Tuesday. They rallied ahead of the Village Board meeting, claiming that police officers mistreated a 14-year-old at a prior Police and Fire Commission meeting.
The Oak Lawn police released a statement regarding the incident. They noted that the teenager used offensive language during the public comment section of the August 5 session. During this, a woman intervened when officers attempted to remove the teen from the podium.
Middle school teacher and activist Kobi Guillory spoke at the rally. Addressing the crowd before the August 25 Village Board meeting, he protested the police’s handling of the teenager’s removal.
The Arab American Action Network provided a different account of the event. They alleged that officers manhandled the boy, slamming him into a counter and applying a choke hold. They also claimed the boy’s mother faced similar treatment while forced to leave, resulting in charges against her for obstruction, disorderly conduct, and assault.
Organizers from the Arab American Action Network have consistently attended these meetings since 2022. Their aim is to protest alleged police misconduct. Recently, police have accused activists of disruptive actions. They stated that these actions hindered the Commission’s functionalities.
The police described these disruptions as involving shouting, physical confrontations, and the encouragement of juveniles to participate in disturbing the meetings.
Activists redirected blame back to the police during the Village Board meeting on Tuesday. They highlighted past incidents of alleged racial bias within the Oak Lawn Police Department. These included a notable case where a 17-year-old was reportedly beaten, leading to a legal settlement of $825,000.
Muhammad Sankari, from the Arab American Action Network, addressed the Board. He criticized the police for using an illegal chokehold, expressing ongoing concerns about accountability and justice.
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