On Sunday (May 25), Chance the Rapper took to Twitter to call attention to the issue of people failing to heed social distancing guidelines in his hometown of Chicago, which he feared could in turn unnecessarily bring police presence into vulnerable communities.. 

“Yo, I seen HUNDREDS of ppl [sic] at Millennium Park and pics [sic] of even more at the parks on the North side. Outside, no masks, no social distancing, enjoying themselves,” the “Big Day” rapper tweeted. He tagged Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot’s official Twitter account in his tweet, in hopes that excessive police presence could be avoided.

As summer approaches, many people have become lax about following social distancing ordinances and stay-at-home orders. During Memorial Day celebrations people were out in full force at beaches, pool parties, parks, and other public spaces despite the fact that coronavirus cases are rapidly surging in some states, prompting police departments in cities like Chicago to enforce the protocols. 

However, multiple reports have noted that neighborhoods predominantly inhabited by people of color are being disproportionately policed over social distancing protocols.

In the video he re-shared dozens of police officers can be seen using excessive force to disperse a large gathering of people in what appears to be a predominantly Black neighborhood. In one part of the clip, a group of officers can be seen holding someone down on the asphalt ground.

Chance pleaded to the public in order to stop the incidents: “Please stop sending large groups of militarized police into our neighborhoods exclusively.”