G8 in Chicago: Rahm Emanuel Criminalizes Protest
- Details
- Category: Repression
- Created on Monday, 23 January 2012 05:00
- Written by Kevin Gosztola
Obama's former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is now Mayor of Chicago. A key part of his "preparation" for the NATO/G8 summit conference this May is an escalation of harsh repressive laws -- intended to intimidate and arrest those who will come to denounce the criminal heads of state.
The following article appeared on the Dissident blog.
"It means that voices most often marginalized in society will have a harder time raising their voice without some police officer breathing down their neck informing them that they are violating some city rule that says they cannot exercise their First Amendment rights without doing this or without doing that. It means a march of immigrants where tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of Chicago in 2006 would be criminalized with city authorities identifying people so they could levy fines."
Chicago City Council Passes Rahm Emanuel’s Anti-Protest Ordinances
By: Kevin Gosztola
Two ordinances drawn up for controlling protests and maintaining security in the city of Chicago during upcoming NATO/G8 meetings passed through the Chicago City Council today.
The ordinances, which organizers from Occupy Chicago and the Coalition Against the NATO/G8 (CANG8) call “sit down and shut up” ordinances, were proposed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and were met with some opposition that led to revisions. But today they passed with only a handful of aldermen voting against the ordinances.
A joint statement released by Occupy Chicago and CANG8 reads: who was present for the vote, heard a call for “reinforcements.”
Occupy Chicago mic checked during the vote, “The first amendment…is not a privilege…..to those who can afford…..permits, fines & insurance.” They shouted “Shame!” and “Who do you work for?” The shouting echoed through the halls and even people on the 11th floor of City Hall could hear those protesting the ordinances.
Perhaps, this tweet shows best what the effect of these ordinances could be:
It means that voices most often marginalized in society will have a harder time raising their voice without some police officer breathing down their neck informing them that they are violating some city rule that says they cannot exercise their First Amendment rights without doing this or without doing that. It means a march of immigrants where tens of thousands of people poured into the streets of Chicago in 2006 would be criminalized with city authorities identifying people so they could levy fines.
Emanuel and the city council seem to have passed these ordinances to dare Chicagoans to defend their right to dissent. Citizens, especially major activist groups and community organizations in Chicago, are definitely going to respond and continue to build public opposition to these new rules. And civil liberties lawyers will likely jump at the opportunity to challenge the rules in court the first chance they get.
Comments (3)
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Guest (SKS)
PermalinkI agree, any demonstration worth having and that is of a mass character can make restrictions difficult to enforce or even moot.
Please look at the actual problem, that of CCTV cameras. That is actually what they voted for. The restrictions are a negotiation fodder for what was actually wanted. Democracy, fuck yeah!0 Like -
Guest (Red Fly)
PermalinkHere's the real "spirit of America" that Obama and his friends like to talk so much about.
The love of hollow symbols and the rhetoric of democracy combined with an absolute hatred for the people and unscripted democratic activity. But folks are learning. It's one reason why the bourgeoisie's institutions are in such crisis. People see and feel the gulf between bourgeoisie's words and their actions. And they know that it's growing everyday.
The signs are all around us of a class in crisis and of their increasingly desperate attempts to save themselves. It's hard to say exactly where we're at in the process, but make no mistake, the enemy is doing everything in its power to stop the march of history. Perhaps nothing's inevitable, but we know that tyrannical empires riven by corruption and hollowed out institutions don't have the best long-run track record.0 Like
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