Someone tried to set fire to City Hall in a suspected arson, Mayor Brandon Johnson said.
On Friday about 11 p.m., someone started a fire outside City Hall, at 121 N. La Salle St., then ran away. The incident was captured on the building’s security cameras, Johnson said at a news conference Monday.
The fire didn’t spread beyond the initial flame, Johnson said. But it did cause damage to the building, according to Chicago police.
“While we do not know the motives of this attempted arson, it goes without saying that this type of violence has no place in our politics,” Johnson said. “While we may have strong disagreements on various issues, there is never any acceptable use of violence in a democracy.”
No injuries were reported, and Chicago police are investigating.
In December of last year, a fire broke out in a records storage room in City Hall. That blaze prompted the evacuation of City Council chambers.