Things have been heating up in Chicago, as anti-ICE protesters clashed with federal agents. Yesterday, Townhall reported that twelve people were slapped with federal charges for attacking and impeding officers.
During the clashes, people asked where the Chicago police were, and there were reports that the Chicago Police Department (CPD) was ordered to stand down.
🚨 BREAKING: Left-wing rioters are SIEGING and PELTING federal vehicles with rocks and bottles in Chicago.
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 4, 2025
WHY are *ALL* of them not being rounded up?
Because local police are standing DOWN.
Unacceptable. Insurrection without consequence must END.pic.twitter.com/XUyNloXTbb
And there was audio of CPD dispatch relaying orders to stand down.
Here is the 911 dispatcher relaying the standdown order to the Chicago PD as they were en route to assist federal officers. pic.twitter.com/jkbojyImf9
— Cash Loren (@CashLorenShow) October 5, 2025
Today, CPD Superintendent Larry Snelling held a press conference to address concerns. When asked about the stand down orders, he said
NEW—Chicago PD Superintendent DODGES question regarding whether his officers were told to stand down when ICE Agents requested backup.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 6, 2025
"I had a conversation with the chief of patrol who was concerned about officers showing up...these federal agents can handle themselves."
WHAT? pic.twitter.com/YMhY0mKBhp
ABC7 reporter Sarah Schulte asked Snelling about the stand-down reports, "At any time ... on Saturday were CPD officers told by dispatchers to stand down?"
"The chief of Patrol at that time had no information that anyone was in danger and let me just be clear about one other thing when it comes to these federal agents, these Federal Agents can handle themselves all right," Snelling said.
He did reiterate that federal agents have every right to use force against anti-ICE rioters who threaten them and reminded Antifa thugs not to break the law. This is one of the first times we've heard an authority figure in Chicago tell the Left to stop being violent.
🚨 Chicago Police Dept. Superintendent has to remind ANTIFA thugs not to break the law, box federal agents in, follow them around, or interrogate them - because they have a right to RESPOND with FORCE!
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 6, 2025
It's sad that reminders like this need to be publicly announced. pic.twitter.com/tb4WM4mzMs
"If you ram any vehicle, especially that one that contains law enforcement agents, and that's any law enforcement—local, state, federal, county," Snelling said.
He continued, "You may not like what they're doing, I can understand that there's a lot of emotions out there. But that does not mean that you get to commit a crime, especially one that could lead to deadly force."
He also reiterated that CPD will not interfere with the feds, saying, "Our responsibilities when it comes to the federal agents, and I've been asked these questions, we do not interfere with the duties and responsibilities of federal agents."
Antifa will not listen to him, of course, but at least now they can't say they weren't warned.