Chicago, IL – 1000 people took to the streets in an unpermitted march from the Chicago Board of Trade Building at Jackson and LaSalle and over to Grant Park for the April 7 Spring to Action by Occupy Chicago.

People chanted, “We are the 99%!” and “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out!” to passersby in Chicago’s downtown Loop.

At Grant Park, there were several workshops around the field, including direct action, political economy and gearing up for NATO’s arrival in Chicago.

The Reverend Jesse Jackson spoke at a workshop on jobs, housing, health and education. With his famous cadence, “Keep hope alive,” Jackson talked about the need for social services and jobs at home as opposed to war abroad. “On May 20, we will occupy for our future!” exclaimed Jackson, referring to the opening day of the NATO protest in Chicago. Jackson urged people to join the march organized by the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda at noon that day.

#ChicagoIL #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyChicago #NATOG8Summit

Chicago, IL – A press conference was held here today, March 15, to announce a change of plans for anti NATO/G8 marchers.

Joe Iosbaker of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda (CANG8) stated, “We have always said we would march on the opening day of the summits. Last week it was announced that the G8 wouldn’t meet in Chicago because of the threat of mass protest. However, NATO will still meet in Chicago, and therefore, we are moving our protest to Sunday, May 20, the opening day of the NATO summit.”

The press conference included Mary Dean of Voices for Creative Non Violence, recently returned from Afghanistan. A solemn mood fell over the crowd as Dean recalled the massacre this week of 16 family members by a U.S. soldier. She called on everyone to march for an immediate end to the U.S. and NATO occupation.

Jan Rodolfo of National Nurses United said that they would join CANG8 on May 20, but also would rally on May 18 to call for a “Robin Hood Tax” on financial transactions.

Occupy Chicago and Veterans for Peace spoke, as did a spokesperson for a delegation of human rights defenders and church leaders from the Philippines. Rev. Felixberto Calang of the Philippine Independent Church revealed that US troops are involved in military exercises, and that the government of Benigno Aquino III is continuing human rights violations, including torture, disappearances and murder of faith based activists for social justice.

Andy Thayer of CANG8 called on the City of Chicago to complete today the permit process for May 20, as required by their guidelines. “We are the only currently permitted march going to the doorstep of the NATO summit,” explained Thayer.

Iosbaker told the crowd, “Friday you’ll see a full page ad in the Chicago Sun Times defending the right to protest against the NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda.” The ad is sponsored by the United National Antiwar Coalition, and Iosbaker said, “It features over 500 signers including Noam Chomsky and numerous peace activists from around the world.” While the city has promised permits for the rallies and marches sponsored by CANG8 on the new date, organizers have also been told that the Secret Service could revoke the permits. The ad raises demands on Emanuel, the Chicago Police and the Obama administration’s Janet Napolitano, Director of Homeland Security, under whom the Secret Service is located, to respect the First Amendment rights of protesters.

“And we are expecting a European delegation of lawyers and even a member of the European Parliament who will be here to observe the protests in May and ensure that our civil liberties are respected by the Chicago Police,” announced Iosbaker.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #NATOG8Summit #ChicagoNATOSummit

Jim Fennerty: On March 20, 2003 almost 800 anti-war protesters were arrested on Chicago Avenue in Chicago. Prior to the arrest between 10 and15,000 anti-war protesters who were protesting the start of the Iraq war were escorted by the Chicago Police as they marched from Federal Plaza in downtown Chicago over to Lake Shore Drive where they proceeded to walk north on Lake Shore Drive and then exited on Oak Street.

When the protesters exited on Oak Street they were met by a line of police at Michigan Avenue and were not allowed to cross Michigan Avenue or march down Michigan Avenue and return to Federal Plaza. After waiting over an hour the police told some marchers that they could go back the way they came. Others in the march, who could not hear the police, on their own started marching back to Inner Lake Shore Drive and eventually on to Chicago Avenue after being allowed by the police. The marchers again marched to Michigan Avenue where they were met by another police line preventing them from crossing Michigan Avenue or marching down Michigan Avenue and back to Federal Plaza.

On Chicago Avenue the protesters were surrounded by the Chicago Police and detained up to three hours. In the detained crowd, besides protesters, there were joggers, people who just got off the bus, workers who just got off of work and shoppers. The protesters were peaceful and some were chanting that they just wanted to go home. None of the people detained were ever given orders by the police to disperse or an opportunity to leave.

Eventually the police started to arrest people and to put them into police wagons or buses. Hundreds were taken to jail where many were charged with misdemeanors and had to attend court. Hundreds of people taken to jail were released, some spending 40 hours in jail because they could not be identified by a police officer that they were at Chicago and Michigan Avenues. Several hundred others were detained on the street up to three hours before being released.

The Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild called for volunteers to represent everyone who was charged with a crime. After several appearances in court all the people who the Guild attorneys represented had their charges dismissed.

At the same time several of these same Guild attorneys filed a class action law suit challenging the unconstitutional arrest of the people who were arrested or detained on Chicago Avenue. After almost nine years of litigation where over 100 people were deposed, the City of Chicago decided to settle the class action on the eve of trial for $6.2 million.

Fight Back!: Why did the city settle?

Fennerty: Because they knew that they were going to lose big time at trial. Two years earlier a federal judge agreed with the city that the police were immune from suit because the law was not established in this federal district that before you could arrest non-violent protesters you had to give them an order to disperse and an opportunity to leave. Also the judge held that the protesters could be arrested because they were marching without a permit.

On appeal to the 7th Circuit the court reversed the district court judge and held that the law was that protesters could not be rounded up and arrested without giving them a notice to disperse, which all could hear, and an opportunity to leave. The court also held that since the protest was a spontaneous demonstration, they could march without a permit.

Also the police defended the case on their statements that the protesters were violent, destroyed property and were charging the police lines. Nothing could be further from the truth. The police videos showed peaceful demonstrators who, when they got to Chicago Avenue just wanted to go home.

Fight Back!: Does this impact on the plans for the May 19 march against the NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda and other protests during the NATO/G8 summits?

Fennerty: Already the City has stated that they have changed their procedures for mass arrests. Recently during the arrest of Occupy Chicago the police have given individual orders to disperse and opportunity to leave before making arrests. Will this mean that during the NATO/G8 protests the Chicago Police will follow the constitution remains to be seen.

Note: the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda (CANG8) won permits from the City of Chicago to rally in Daley Plaza and march to McCormick Place. While the Secret Service is threatening to revoke the permits in service of the National Special Security Event, CANG8 is determined to go forward with a family friendly, permitted march on May 19. CANG8 continues to demand that Mayor Emanuel stop vilifying protesters as violent; that Police Superintendent McCarthy stop threatening protesters with mass arrests and that the Obama administration and Homeland Security Director Napolitano, who is over Secret Service, respect the permits granted by the City of Chicago.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #NationalLawyersGuild #MayorRahmEmmanuel #rightToProtest #NATOG8Summit

Munoz said the importance of his measure was highlighted by demonstrations last year in the U.S., UK and the Middle East. “Government’s first instinct is often to control or to censure open communication,” said Munoz.

Munoz is leader of the City Council’s Reform Caucus and he predicted broad support for his measure to protect free speech when it is released at the next council meeting. “My bottom line will be a ban on all attempts to shut down, limit or monitor internet speech and cell phone texts. These protections must be broad enough to include all cell phone networks, all social media sites, micro-blogs, the RIM private messaging network and all Virtual Private Networks,” said Munoz.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #NATOG8Summit #AldermanRickMunoz

Joe Iosbaker of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty (CANG8) agenda said, “All the signs were pointing to McCormick Place.” He added, “Now Mayor Emanuel has one less excuse to refuse to grant us permits for the protest marches we are planning.”

CANG8 organizers are frustrated in their dealings with the city. “Mayor Emanuel pretty clearly wants the politicians, generals and bankers coming to Chicago to leave here without having heard from the 99% of the people who oppose them,” said Iosbaker.

The city blew off meetings they set up with the activists throughout the fall. A meeting finally happened in November, but the officials there would not meet the demands of the coalition: to publicly commit to provide permits for marches within sight and sound of the summit.

Iosbaker continued, “The U.S./NATO war in Afghanistan is continuing and expanding into attacks on Pakistan and the wealthy G8 countries are forcing changes on the workers of Europe, such as raising the retirement age, cutting social spending and privatizing jobs.” The Occupy Wall Street movement has led hundreds of thousands to protest these same kinds of attacks on the 99% in the U.S. in recent months.

“The meetings of the 1% will be inside the McCormick Place and the 99% will be marching there, with permits in hand,” promised Iosbaker.

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #PeoplesStruggles #NATOG8Summit #MayorRahmEmmanuel #CANG8

Chicago, IL – Mayor Rahm Emanuel has again refused to guarantee the First Amendment right to protest in Chicago.

Organizers from the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda (CANG8) met with city officials on Nov. 16. They were there with a message that Pat Hunt of CANG8 said was simple, “that the city publicly commit to provide…permits that meet the internationally recognized standard for the right to assemble; that we be within sight and sound…” of the meeting of NATO and the G8 in May, 2012.

Hunt continued, insisting that “Police Superintendent McCarthy refrain from making threats of mass arrests.” She was referring to the many times since July that Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy has announced in the press that Chicago’s 13,000 police officers are being trained to repress dissent when the generals, bankers and heads of state convene here.

Representing the city were officials from the permit office of the Transportation Department and Commander Debra Kirby of the Chicago Police Department, the police department point person for the NATO/G8 summit.

Andy Thayer of CANG8 pointed out that the business group that is the host committee for the NATO/G8 summit has been given $1 million in taxpayer money to prepare for the event. The representatives of the city wouldn’t even promise the activists that they would be permitted to gather in the Loop during the week of May 15-22, when the summit occurs.

In June when the summits were announced, a group affiliated with CANG8, the United National Anti-War Coalition (UNAC), submitted a permit application for Daley Plaza, one of the few large venues for protest in the Loop, as Chicago’s downtown is known. Last week, MB Real Estate emailed Joe Iosbaker, Chicago spokesperson for UNAC that, “Unfortunately we are not approving any permits for the use of the plaza May 15th-22nd.”

Iosbaker responded that, “We have the right to march against NATO’s wars, such as Afghanistan and Libya, and against the G8 agenda of imposing poverty on working people from Greece to Chicago.”

Joining CANG8 were speakers from the National Lawyers Guild, SEIU Local 73, the American Friends Service Committee and Pat Hill of the African American Police League. All committed to keep the pressure on the city for permits and to organize to bring tens of thousands of Chicagoans and others from around the country to march on May 15 and 19.

Iosbaker reminded everyone gathered, “Our front banner will read: ‘Jobs, Housing, Healthcare, Education, Pensions, the Environment, Not War’. This is what the 99% are going to march for.”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #NATO #UNAC #G8 #NATOG8Summit #MayorRahmEmmanuel #CANG8 #UnitedNationalAntiWarCoalition

Chicago, IL – More than 200 activists from 73 organizations met at the Kent College of Law here, Aug. 28, to lay the groundwork for massive protests at the G8 and NATO summit is scheduled for May of 2012. The conference, initiated by the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) served as the founding meeting of the “Coalition Against NATO / G8 War and Poverty Agenda.” Participants agreed that the meeting was a resounding success.

Joe Iosbaker, the Chicago spokesperson for UNAC, told attendees, “We have been running flat out since June to bring this meeting together to found both a national coalition and a local coalition against NATO and the G8, to say no to their wars and attacks on the lives of workers and oppressed people. This meeting today brings together over 70 organizations. We have key groups here – folks who played a leading role in the major anti-war and anti-corporate globalization protests in recent years; veterans of all the anti-war movements since Vietnam; as well as leading fighters in the community and labor struggles in Chicago. We have reached out broadly, gathering support from faith-based activists, from Arab and Muslim, African American, Puerto Rican and Chicano/Mexicano communities, and all the organizations in Chicago and across the country in the anti-war movement to build the largest protests possible in May.”

Iosbaker was one of the anti-war and international solidarity activists whose home was raided by the FBI on September 24, 2010.

Speaking of the protests planned for the Summit, Iosbaker stated “When we march on the McCormick Convention Center, our front banner will read, ‘Jobs, Housing, Healthcare, Education, Pensions, the Environment – Not War.’ We think that will speak for most people in this city, and we think that tens of thousands will join us to say ‘No to NATO/G8 and their War and Poverty Agenda.’”

#ChicagoIL #AntiwarMovement #NATO #JoeIosbaker #MeredithAby #UnitedNationalAntiWarCommittee #UNAC #G8 #NATOG8Summit

Chicago will host the NATO/G8 summit from May 15-22nd. NATO is the US-commanded and financed 28-nation military alliance. There will also be a summit of the G-8 world powers. The meetings are expected to draw heads of state, generals, and countless others. A national coalition is forming to organize protests at the beginning and end of the summit on May 15 and May 19.

Meredith Aby, from the Anti-War Committee, explains, “NATO has been a leading force for war in Afghanistan and Libya. Similarly, the G8’s austerity measures have been a recipe for poverty across the globe and its pain and misery is making the global recession worse. We are seizing the opportunity of this historic meeting of these two organizations to say money for human needs not war.”

“People from Minnesota are overwhelmingly anti-war and are tired of having their tax dollars wasted on killing people on the other side of the world while their own families don’t have access to quality education, healthcare and other services that they need. People from around the country and the Midwest in particular will travel to Chicago in May to demand an end to NATO warfare and G8 enforced poverty. And we’ll be ready to help them get there.” Aby continued.

Aby and Tracy Molm, whose Minneapolis homes were raided by the FBI last fall as a part of an investigation of the peace movement, will both be speaking at the conference. Aby will be speaking on lessons learned from organizing anti-war protests at the 2008 RNC in St. Paul and Molm will address the importance of defending civil liberties during national security events.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #NATO #G8 #NATOG8Summit