London, of the 4900 block of West Huron Street, is a member of the Black Youth Project, an activist group that has been vocal in the aftermath of the Laquan McDonald shooting.
As a leader of the group, London was one of the activists who refused Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s request for a meeting ahead of the release of video footage showing McDonald’s shooting death at the hands of a police officer.
.@MalcolmLondon calls for the firing of police superintendent Garry McCarthy. #LaquanMcDonald
London is a notable activist and slam poet in Chicago and nationally and sits on the Young Adult Council of the Steppenwolf Theater, according to his website. In 2011 he won the city’s Louder than a Bomb poetry slam competition. His TED Talk about “life on the front lines of high school” has almost 1 million views.
After learning of London’s arrest, protesters last night marched to Chicago Police Department’s Central District headquarters to demand his release as well as the release of other arrested protesters. Police on Wednesday morning said a total of five people were arrested during the protests.
Protesters have taken to Twitter to say that London was unfairly targeted and provoked by officers looking to arrest him. #FreeMalcolmLondon was trending nationally Wednesday morning.