Police arrest 'Occupy Chicago' protestors after stand off at Congress and Michigan
CPD is the 99%
Chicago police arrested a group of people from 'Occupy Chicago' following a standoff at the corner of Congress and Michigan avenues on the evening of October 15, 2011 that continued until after midnight. The arrests took place following the decision by 'Occupy Chicago' to move from the corner of LaSalle and Jackson, five blocks away, to the Grant Park, site of many Chicago protests (including the infamous 1968 protests at the Democratic National Convention). As the day began on October 16, a reported 200 people had been arrested. Police sources had not given a precise number as of the filing of this article.
The Occupy Chicago protestors began to set up tents in the park adjacent to The Bowman statue ( one of two naked Native Americans on horseback in Grant Park, the other is called The Spearman ) following a march from their old site, LaSalle and Jackson.
"Whose park? Our Park!"
TENT CITY
After police warnings began just before midnight, the protestors were arrested and the tents taken down. Some of the protestors chanted slogans against Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, contrasting his decision to arrest them with that of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has tolerated protestors camping near Wall Street ("Occupy Wall Street") for more than a month. The arrests took place near Chicago's Prudential Building, the site of the Obama re-election national campaign office (Emanuel served as Obama's chief of staff until one year ago).
Many chanted "The whole world is watching," echoing chants during protests at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, some of which took place in and around Grant Park.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/...
RAW TRIBUNE VIDEO Oct 2011
The arrests took place following a standoff when more than 2,000 people marched from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago to Grant Park and then set up two dozen tents in the park. They said they were going to stay in the park for the night, and made clear that they wanted to begin an encampment like the one in New York City, "Occupy Wall Street." The marchers, many of whom remained on the west side of Michigan Ave. while the protestors set up tents across the street, included teachers and others. Police eventually closed off traffic in the area, as they prepared to make the arrests.
After midnight Saturday, following several police warnings that the encampment was illegal, police began to arrest what was originally reported (in some news reports) the more than 200 protesters who refused to leave the area in the park called "The Bowman" at Congress and Michigan. [See below. Later in the morning, Chicago police officially stated that the number arrested on the morning of October 16 totaled 175].
The crowd had marched earlier from the Federal Reserve Bank at LaSalle and Jackson to Grant Park, chanting “We are the 99 percent,” and, “How do we fix the deficit? Tax, tax, tax the rich!” A rally earlier in the evening had included members of the Teamsters Union and the Chicago Teachers Union. At least one Chicago teacher was known to have been arrested.
As dawn approached, several demonstrators were waiting outside the Chicago Police district headquarters at 18th and State St., according to Substance sources who asked not to be identified. Others were waiting to take home some of those who had been arrested. Until later, Substance did not know precisely how many had been arrested, what the charges were, and how much bail was for each [See below for these details].
Some of the protestors waiting during the evening of October 15 - 16 prior to the arrests. The word 'IDEAS' in the background is displayed at the Prudential Building north of Grant Park advertising "Chicago Ideas Week" which was being promoted by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who ordered the more than 200 arrests in the early morning hours of October 16, 2011. The Prudential Building is the site of the national re-election headquarters of President Barack Obama. Substance photo by John Kugler.
According to Chicago Police Office of Media affairs, the total number of arrests was 175. All of those arrested were charged with violating a municipal ordinance that makes it a violation to be in a public park between the hours of 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Officer Perez of Chicago Police Media Affairs told Substance that those who were arrested would probably be released on their own recognizance (without having to post bail) unless a background check turned up other police issues. Chicago police routinely run a criminal background check on everyone arrested.
The group Occupy Chicago began protesting outside the Federal Reserve in Chicago 23 days earlier.
ORIGINALLY POSTED @ Substance News
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11:18 AM PT: all tents were removed during the arrests
11:18 AM PT: I here most everyone is out of jail