Live Updates: Elections 2020 In Illinois

Nov 3, 2020, 11:40pm CT

Extra Cops Wait For Civil Unrest That Doesn’t Happen

Chicago police officers waited on a CTA bus in Humboldt Park’s boathouse parking lot — one of several staging areas for extra cops on duty in case of election-related civil unrest. Chip Mitchell / WBEZ

Chicago cops waited for hours tonight in police staging areas around the city as feared civil unrest tied to the election did not materialize.

In Humboldt Park’s boathouse parking lot, some officers waited on two idling CTA buses and ate fast food. Nearby were more than 30 police vehicles in which many cops watched election coverage on their smartphones.

“Trump 2020!” an officer exclaimed from a police SUV.

Downtown, the Police Department braced for an announced protest at Millennium Park. Officers were posted at corners. Steel barricades limited access to the park.

Around 9:30 p.m., a dozen officers stood with police bicycles at a park entrance near Michigan and Washington.

As the night progressed and no protesters showed up, most of the officers headed out.

Several election-related protests are planned for tomorrow in Chicago.