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State, county and local law enforcement agencies policing protests outside the ICE facility in west suburban Broadview have announced the designated protest zone will now include part of Beach Street, according to a statement Tuesday.<\/p>\n
A portion of Beach Street south of Lexington Avenue will link the two areas that have been sectioned off by concrete barriers since Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson signed an executive order limiting the times and locations where people could protest. Litigation against the order is pending.<\/p>\n
The group of law enforcement agencies said they were \u201celiminating an area of danger to protesters, officers and drivers\u201d with the move.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn order to further protect the safety of protesters, Broadview residents and businesses, officers, and drivers, the temporary unified command is expanding the designated protest area near the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
The statement said more than 4,000 people have protested \u2014 the \u201coverwhelming majority of them peacefully\u201d \u2014 outside the ICE facility over the last month.<\/p>\n
Thompson this week declared a \u201ccivil emergency<\/u><\/a>\u201d in the suburb, citing threats against herself and village hall, as well as protesters saying they would show up to board meetings. Thompson\u2019s executive order<\/u><\/a> will keep the meetings online until she determines the \u201cimminent threat to village officials and property is no longer present.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n