Chicago Media ‘Embarrassed’ Over Failure to Investigate 'Black Site'

In late February, British newspaper The Guardian reported that Chicago police were using an abandoned warehouse at Homan Square to interrogate people, and claimed that detainees were beaten and held for prolonged periods of time without access to medical care or legal assistance.

CHICAGO (Sputnik) – Chicago mainstream local media were embarrassed when international media revealed a police detention, interrogation and torture "black site" at the Chicago's Homan Square, Andy Thayer, a co-founder of the action group Gay Liberation Network, told Sputnik.

"The Chicago media were embarrassed, and caught with their pants down [after failing to investigate Homan Square]," Thayer said.

Thayer, who also works as an office manager at the Chicago law firm Loevy & Loevy, added that US citizens must take a critical look at their US institutions and US ideals.

"I want to provoke a conversation about what to do [to fix US social issues]," Thayer concluded.

Reacting to police misconduct and demanding investigation, activists in Chicago organized several rallies in March. Protesters blamed Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and US President Barack Obama for the facility's operations and called for its immediate closure.

The Chicago Police Department has denied involvement in or knowledge of abuse claims at the Homan Square black site, claiming that the facility is a special unit headquarters.