CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Frustrated members of a Champaign group called for the mayor to resign in an effort to show support for law enforcement.
Dozens of members of the Back the Blue Champaign County group marched to city hall and sat in on a Champaign city council meeting Tuesday evening. More than 150 people packed the room.
People in the group told city council they need to step up and support police. They mentioned actions by the council they called demoralizing against the police department and called for the mayor to stop talking and start acting, with tensions running high at times when speakers came to the podium.
They pleaded with city council to take up action combating community crime, as gun violence in Champaign is up 113 percent. Until resources are put toward fighting crime, group members said no amount of money will help them feel safe.
"We can sit here all we want and talk about budget, talk about infrastructure, libraries, starting businesses, collecting taxes (and) economics," one speaker said. "But if I won't drive those roads, if I won't go to those businesses, if I don't feel safe going to that library, none of this matters."
The call for the major to resign followed comments the group called insulting to law enforcement, which came after the shooting death of police officer Chris Oberheim.
The crowd erupted in applause after the resignation call was said.
