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Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Rooftop Dance Video Fuels Criticism Amid Rising Chicago Crime
By Drooid · · How we work
Viral Dance Video Triggers Backlash
A 12-second clip of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson dancing to “Hideaway” by Kiesza on a rooftop was posted to Instagram and reposted on X over the weekend he announced a bid for a second term. Johnson’s campaign confirmed his participation but gave no details on when the video was filmed. The upbeat display was meant to “put a cheery spin” on his tenure, yet it sparked criticism that framed the mayor as out of touch while the city confronts rising violence.
Crime Context and Statistics
Chicago Police Department data through June 26 showed shootings up about 3 % from the same period a year earlier and motor-vehicle thefts up 10 %. Cook County Medical Examiner data indicated 219 homicides through June 30, compared with 208 in the first half of 2025. A University of Chicago survey later reported that only 13.6 % of likely voters wanted Johnson to run again, reflecting low approval amid a reported 27 % surge in overall crime through 2025.
Official Statements & Responses
Mayor Johnson defended his record, arguing that the city’s “teen takeovers” required a nuanced response. He declared a “Trans Femicide State of Emergency” to highlight violence against transgender women, despite only one reported killing of a trans person that year. Johnson also said the city council’s effort to eliminate the tipped wage was “transparent” and linked the restaurant industry to historic slavery, stating, “You just watched the entire city council, in transparency, try to take wages away from the very people who are part of an industry that has its ties to slavery.”
Criticism & Opposition
Conservative commentators seized on the video as evidence of misplaced priorities. Fox News contributor Joe Concha asked, “What the actual F?” while commentator Benny Johnson highlighted the city’s “23 % approval rating” and “40 people shot per week.” Miranda Devine of the New York Post called the display “pathetic,” and Ambassador Nick Adams called for impeachment, saying, “Brandon Johnson should be impeached for making this video.” Business leader Gary Kaltbaum, president of Kaltbaum Capital, urged voters to “keep voting failures in Chicagoans.”
Verbatim Quotes
- “You just watched the entire city council, in transparency, try to take wages away from the very people who are part of an industry that has its ties to slavery is hiding from that,” — Brandon Johnson, mayor of Chicago
- “Brandon Johnson should be impeached for making this video,” — Ambassador Nick Adams, special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values