Chicago, IL – This week, Chicago saw elections for mayor and city council in which almost all the candidates ran on platforms opposing outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Progressive victories were won in a number of wards across the city, including by Maria Hadden, a young, Black, queer woman who unseated Joe Moore in the far Northside Rogers Park neighborhood. Moore had been a progressive 25 years ago but is now a staunch ally of the mayor and a defender of big money developers. Hadden was recently a board member of Black Youth Project 100, and hers was a major win for progressives in the first round of elections.
Chicago, IL – 300 people came out to rally for justice for Laquan McDonald, Sept. 5, at the courthouse at 26th and California to mark the opening of the first-degree murder trial of police officer Jason Van Dyke.
Chicago, IL – City council allies of Mayor Rahm Emanuel held a hearing in the South Side neighborhood of Roseland Tuesday night, May 15, to consider several pieces of legislation on police accountability. They attempted to use a rigged process to smother the voices of the mainly Black movement for community control of the police. For six years, the movement has supported legislation to create an elected, civilian police accountability council (CPAC).
Chicago, IL – On the morning of Aug. 3, International President Mary Kay Henry of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) placed SEIU Local 73 in trusteeship. This immediately removed from office the principal officers of the local, including President Christine Boardman and Secretary Treasurer Matt Brandon. Henry cited the “dysfunctional” relationship between Boardman and Brandon as the main reason for her action.
Fight Back News Service is circulating following June 1 statement by Frank Chapman, Field Organizer, Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR).
Chicago, IL – In response to the announcement of over 1000 layoffs of teachers and staff, the Chicago Teachers Union rallied, marched and occupied the Bank of America (BoA) on LaSalle Street, Feb. 4.
Protests in Chicago have been occurring for weeks in reaction to a mass cover-up by the Chicago Police Department, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez. LaQuan McDonald was a 17-year-old African American teen who was murdered – shot to death by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke in October 2014. Shortly after the murder, killer cop Van Dyke and the Chicago police tried to claim that McDonald had threatened the officer’s life. However, recently released police cruiser dashcam footage showed McDonald walking away from police officers as Van Dyke fired 16 bullets into his body. Many of those shots occurring as McDonald lay dying on the ground.
Chicago, IL – Chanting, “How many shots? 16 shots!” the second walk-out in a week took the streets in downtown Chicago Dec 18. Protest organizers like Lamon Reccord and Rousemary Vega called for Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign because he covered up the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald for 13 months.
Chicago, IL – On Friday, Dec. 18, people in Chicago will again walk out of school and off their jobs to call for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez to resign. The protesters will assemble outside Chicago City Hall, around Daley Plaza.
Chicago, IL – #ResignRahm was trending today, Nov. 9, on Twitter, as high school students and office employees walked off their jobs to march outside city hall. What started as a joke Facebook event resulted in thousands of people in a protest demanding that Mayor Rahm Emanuel resign.
Chicago, IL – In Chicago, people had good reason to celebrate on Feb. 24. Rahm Emanuel was denied reelection in the mayoral primary. He needed 50% plus one vote, but he received less than 46%. His main opponent, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, received 34%, and will face Emanuel on April 7 in a runoff. In addition, 19 city council seats will have runoff elections, an all-time high.
Chicago, IL – Thousands of teachers, students and Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) supporters marched to Buckingham Fountain in downtown Chicago on the second day of the CTU strike, Sept. 11. The rally came after a morning of pickets at the 144 holding centers, also known as ‘contingency plan’ schools, put in place by the Chicago Public Schools board.
Fight is over job security and defending public education
Chicago, IL – On Sept. 10, Chicago Teachers Union Local 1 went on strike after ten months at the bargaining table. They tried to use negotiations with the Chicago School Board to defend their jobs and the interests of their students. When the Chicago Public Schools refused to back away from their corporate agenda, CTU members had no choice but to strike.
Chicago, IL – The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) announced June 1 that union members will take a strike authorization vote starting on June 6. The bargaining committee for the teachers is looking for at least 75% of the CTU members to vote yes. This will deliver a powerful message to the Board of Education to actually negotiate with teachers.
Chicago, IL – On May 23, 4000 Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) members gathered for a historic rally inside the Auditorium Theater. Outside, there was an overflow outdoor rally beneath the Bowman sculpture at Congress Drive and Michigan Avenue that included 1500 more, including parents, students and community members.
Chicago, IL – The Mental Health Movement is fighting Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plans to close six clinics this month. On April 12, at 4:00 p.m., 30 people chained the doors shut and erected barricades. Over 100 unionized nurses and community members, including patients and members of Occupy Chicago, formed lines in front of the doors. “Health care is a right!” chanted the crowd.
Chicago, IL – The City of Chicago bowed to pressure from a growing movement against war and cutbacks. After months of denying organizers permits to protest , the Public Building Commission of Chicago wrote that, “…yes, Daley Plaza will be open to public assembly and public activity during the G8/NATO Summits in May 2012.”
Chicago, IL – NATO and the G8 will meet in Chicago in five months. A broad coalition of groups, including Occupy Chicago, is supporting a call for permits to march when all the heads of state are in town.
Chicago, IL- After months of avoiding organizers planning the protests against the NATO and G8 Summit next spring, Mayor Rahm Emanuel finally got an earful Dec. 13. Thirty people from the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda (CANG8) packed a meeting of the Public Building Commission (PBC), which Emanuel chairs. Joe Iosbaker, Andy Thayer and Newland Smith of CANG8 all spoke to the commissioners and pressed the demands for permits to march on the summits of bankers, generals and politicians.
Chicago, IL – People from two dozen organizations attended a press conference here, July 28, in front of the office of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. They were there with one immediate goal: to demand permits to march on the May 2012 summit of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and the G8 (Group of Eight).
