By LORRAINE SWANSON
Editor
Residents protesting gang violence in Uptown assemble outsde of Truman College Monday evening. Residents allege that Ald. Helen Shiller has shown a lack of concern about crime in the neighborhood.
Ald. Helen Shiller (46th Ward) faced a raging fire of constituents’ fury and a horde of reporters after a community meeting to hear about the Chicago’s Olympic bid.
Uptown residents gathered in front of Truman College on Monday evening before the Chicago 2016 community forum for the 44th, 46th and 49th Wards. Waving signs that read “Ald. Helen Shiller Doesn’t Care,” “Whose Child Is Next, Helen?” and “Every Resident Deserves To Be Safe In Uptown,” residents waited outside the college hoping to confront the alderman about the latest flare-up of gang activity in the neighborhood.
Inside Truman’s student cafeteria, Shiller sat in the front row watching Chicago 2016 representatives field questions from the audience about the city’s olympic bid.
When the forum was over, Shiller strode up to the TV mics and smiled at reporters. Before any of them could ask any questions, she immediately began addressing the media in a rambling press conference that lasted all of four minutes.
“I think you’re here also on the issue of the Olympics but you’re obviously here on the issue of violence,” Shiller said. “I’m as deeply concerned as everyone else in the community. Number one, it’s really good that you’re concerned with it because I think some of these things are really important.”
Regarding the video that Uptown-resident Joe Gray shot from his mid-rise condominium building showing gangs fighting at Leland and Sheridan on Aug. 12, Shiller said she was out of town on vacation when the home video surfaced on the Uptown Update blog last week.
“The video that came up, there was a meeting that my staff was at,” Shiller said. “I’ve been communicating with my staff … and during that time I was in regular communication with [the 20th and 23rd District police] commanders here, and before I left [for vacation] I was in a meeting with the commanders and police superintendent.”
Ald. Helen Shiller (46th Ward) addresses reporters about the recent flare up in gang activity in Uptown following Monday's Chicago 2016 community forum at Truman College.
Shiller described the gang violence depicted in the video as one that affects every neighborhood throughout the city, including Uptown.
“Violence is less this year [in Uptown] than last year, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned,” Shiller said. “I continue to be very concerned about eliminating it altogether … I would hope that would be possible. I don’t think we can unless we can continue to fight it on many fronts.”
She also suggested that the media pay more attention to funding cuts in gang violence prevention programs. Shiller said that more programs are need to get people “to rethink what they’re doing with their lives.”
“That’s the one thing that’s been eliminated from funding that we don’t see many stories on so I’m really glad you’re here,” Shiller told reporters. “That is one follow-up that you guys really need to do.”
Shiller complimented the 23rd police district for the work they have done in reducing violence in the community after last year’s spate of shootings, including a Truman College student who was killed near her ward office at 4544 N. Broadway after he was caught in gang crossfire.
Shiller said that her staff could not adequately respond to those residents who claim that she has not shown enough concern about neighborhood crime.
“I think in measure that is what part of this really is; that there are people looking for ways to go after me and that’s fine,” Shiller said. “But this is not about me, this is about addressing a dynamic that exists in this city and in fact exists very seriously in the city everywhere that we are feeling the tip of this.”
Shiller said it didn’t matter whether or not she or her staff went to community meetings because the same small number of people will continue to say that she is not responsive to them.
“I will tell you now that I will continue [to work] on these issues. I think it’s appropriate to get solutions made,” Shiller said. “I talk to police at every single opportunity that it is required to do so in terms of addressing these issues and making sure that resources are there to respond.”
Ald. Helen Shiller is chased to her car by screaming residents and a horde of news media.
At that point, about 30 demonstrators who had been standing outside Truman filed into the cafeteria with their signs. After a woman shouted “liar” at the alderman, Shiller abruptly ended the press conference and walked away.
Shiller appeared shaken as she was whisked through a side door of the school by Truman security. Reporters, TV camera operators and residents chased the alderman outside into the side yard.
The alderman continued talking to reporters as she made her way to her car parked her ward office in the McJunkin Building, as residents chanted, “Run, Helen, run.”
Finally, Shiller got into her car alone as Truman security guards cleared a path for her to back out. After stopping in the parking lot to fasten her seatbelt, Shiller drove off to the accompaniment of a church choir rehearsing hymns in a nearby building.
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Helen, those funding cuts to which you refer are directly related to the fact that there’s no money in the till to fund them.
Where did all the money go?
TIFs, baby.
Did Helen state that she would discontinue her project to increase the Wilson Yard TIF in hopes to return that revenue back to the city for use in such programs?
Since TIF money can’t be used for that purpose, why is she crying foul over funding when she’s one of the causes for the lack of such?
“But this is not about me, this is about addressing a dynamic that exists in this city and in fact exists very seriously in the city everywhere that we are feeling the tip of this.”
Wrong.
This rally was in direct response to the fact that can’t get a word out of you.
The tip that we usually feel is that of the pole you’re shoving up the arses of those who aren’t on your friends list.
Had she or her staff, after all of these meetings she mentions, made ANY statement whatsoever, this rally wouldn’t have been necessary.
I find it interesting that she states she’ll continue to work (to “get solutions made” no less. Why can’t Chicago pols speak English, properly? WHY?!), when we keep seeing the same problems over and over and over again?
We’re asking for solutions, hun. Not lies and platitudes.
This lady’s a pip. She really is.
We’re shining a light into her ideological cave, and she certainly does not like that.
Poor lil’ lamb.
Great article, Lorraine. I think it’s the most fair and balanced that I’ve read so far. Unfortunately, I was unable and truly appreciate your coverage.
All this demonstrating and Helen-bashing makes for GREAT lead stories on the 9 and 10 o’clock local TV newscasts . . . . and that’s about it.
It does nothing to help or correct the crime situation in Uptown.
So Yo . . . .you’re saying the rally was to annoy Helen Schiller?
I thought it was to protest the violence in Uptown, for which Ald. Schiller correctly stated: “But this is not about me, this is about addressing a dynamic that exists in this city and in fact exists very seriously in the city everywhere that we are feeling the tip of this.”
Im also for Pols speaking English properly, but your rambling and fragmented screed makes Helen sound like a more coherent speaker than you are a writer.
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Why is this person in office? We have had to endure her longer than the Germans endured Hitler, and almost as long as the Russians had Stalin and the Italians had Mussoliini! We need real democracy with term limits in Chicago, Cook county, and Illinois just like with our US presidents.
“So Yo . . . .you’re saying the rally was to annoy Helen Schiller? ”
Never said that.
The entire point of the rally (as has been repeated, many times) was to allow Helen the opportunity to speak to her constituents, since it always seems inconvenient for her to come to us.
And she blew it.
You can make all of the curious arguments you’d like, but you can’t cover for her on this one.
Until Helen Schiller stops bussing in and paying the homeless to vote for her the residents can’t take control of the problems. Helen’s answer to help Uptown is to increase the number of low income housing units in Wilson Yards–fix the problem Helen have real balance in the community and make all housing diverse increase market rate housing and stop catering to the indigents who vote for you when you pay for food for them. Andersonville and north Uptown have all cleaned up a great deal and they have one thing in common–no Helen Schiller!
There’s violence all over the city. Helen Shiller is trying to deal with it by creating community programs. The protesters are homeowners who want the low-income residents to just go away. Where would they go? So you bought a condo in uptown and gentrification slowed down. Too bad. You can’t just shove problems out of your way, you selfish bastards. Do something that will help the community rather than trying to get a new alderman who will make your property values start to go up again.
Patrick, I knew this was more than gangs in the area. These racist bastards are mad that low-income residents are moving into the area. You hit it right on target. I don’t like how Truman college security is allowing people to come into Truman without asking for any identification, and people are allow to to be in front of the school but to go out the way and make racist comments like some did on this other website, and I’m pretty sure it’s the same people on here, let me know that this is about race and people on low-income.
You all are a bunch of skinheads and KKK members hiding behind their computers spewing hate like cowards.
@blackbettyboop,
i appreciate your ironic hypocrisy.
I do not agree with Helen Shiller over many things but when I see uptown residents yelling over the gangs and crime but hide behind their curtains and just write UptownUpdate becuase they are afarid of their own shadows. Until these residents really do sosmething against crime and gangs then they will go away. Shiller does not do much and the CPD can only do so much. Get the Guardian Angels in Uptown. I have talked to them and they even state that the Uptown residents will not stand behind them and give them support so why even bother. Until the residents get a backbone and a spine then the ward will continue to fall apart……….
People who do stand up get shot down or get no support , Don what is your suggestion? Everyone has something to rag about what’s the solution.? Can’t blame Helen for everything!! She is a politician not the saviour of uptown.