Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th Ward) appears on "Chicago Tonight" on March 1, 2023. (WTTW News)
Ald. Julia Ramirez (12th Ward) and her aide were battered during a Thursday morning protest of plans for a massive tent to house at least some of the nearly 3,800 migrants now living at police stations and O’Hare International Airport on a vacant, privately owned lot in Brighton Park, officials told WTTW News.
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Ramirez’s aide, identified only by police as man approximately 21 years old, was taken to St. Anthony Hospital in fair condition, according to a spokesperson for the Chicago Police Department.
Ramirez declined medical attention, officials said. She was identified only by police as a woman approximately 32 years old.
In a statement released several hours after the incident, Ramirez said she and her aide were assaulted.
“Fortunately, I’m OK, however, my staffer was taken to the hospital and is in good condition,” Ramirez said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson called the attack on an elected official “unconscionable.” He did not identify Ramirez or her aide.
“My administration supports the right to peaceful protest and free speech, but this type of action against a public servant is unconscionable,” Johnson said. “Any violent act against an elected official in our city is unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
Gov. J.B. Pritzker also denounced the attack, saying he was deeply saddened by the incident.
“We must treat public servants working for their communities with respect and decency, even when we disagree,” Pritzker said, adding that he wished Ramirez and her aide a speedy recovery.
Detectives are investigating the incident, which was captured on video by several news organizations.
In a video recorded by Colin Boyle for Block Club Chicago and posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Ramirez can be seen fully surrounded by protestors while being partially encircled by Chicago police officers.
NOW: Dozens of frustrated Brighton Park residents are protesting @ 38/California, where the city is planning to build a "base camp" for asylum seekers.#OnAssignment for @BlockClubCHI
Latest: Migrant Tent Camp Planned For Brighton Park Lot, Officials Say https://t.co/Em7bsuxCi9 pic.twitter.com/D9iBx8S0dw
— Colin Boyle (@colinbphoto) October 19, 2023
While officers order the crowd to step back, protesters holding signs can be heard yelling and pushing toward Ramirez who can be seen protecting her head as her aide protects her from the crowd and moves her, slowly, toward a waiting car with the help of officers. When she makes it to the car, the crowd celebrates her departure.
Ramirez said she attended the protest in an attempt to “address misinformation being spread about my involvement with the plan, and how we should move forward as a community.”
After having a few conversations, Ramirez said she realized that “most of the protestors did not want to engage in a peaceful dialogue with me” and attempted to leave before being attacked.
“It was truly a disappointing experience,” Ramirez said.
A community meeting on the proposal is set to take place at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at Kelly High School, 4136 S. California Ave. In a letter sent to 12th Ward residents Monday, Ramirez warned that it may already be a done deal — whether or not she objects.
“I call on the mayor's office for more transparency, accountability and more local involvement in the decision making process, to explore more options for establishing permanent shelters, and reevaluate if tents are an appropriate solution at this site,” Ramirez wrote.
The Brighton Park lot at 38th Street and California Avenue is owned by the Harvey-based Sanchez Group, said Ramirez, who also said the firm responded to a request for proposals issued by Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office seeking locations to set up temporary shelters for the more than 18,500 migrants sent to Chicago from the southern border.
“I also want you to be open minded and not buy into the fearmongering and false information spread by right-wing, anti-immigrant voices who wish to divide our city,” Ramirez wrote on Monday. “We are a nation of immigrants and people that are fleeing economic and political turmoil deserve an opportunity for a better life in this country.”
More than 3,769 migrants are living in police stations across the city and at O’Hare International Airport with another 11,334 migrants living in city shelters as of Thursday morning, according to city data. Johnson has said the crisis was caused by “right-wing extremists bent on sowing chaos and division in our city.”
Protesters in front of a proposed base camp for migrants in Brighton Park on Oct. 19, 2023. (WTTW News via Pool)
Johnson first unveiled the plan to build the massive tents, which could shelter, feed and care for as many as 1,000 migrants in a single location, more than a month ago, triggering intense criticism from some of his closest allies.
The city is set to pay $29 million to GardaWorld Federal Services to erect the tents to house the migrants, under a contract that was originally inked by state officials. Those plans call for soft-sided “yurt” structures to be built to hold 12 beds, with restrooms and dining halls serving several structures.
Johnson officials have told reporters the massive, winterized tents will “center the dignity of the migrants” and will not force those arriving in the city to live in “sub-par conditions.” The city is simply unable to open enough shelters in existing businesses to keep pace with dozens of buses arriving every week, officials said.
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
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