Note to readers: the Sneed/Sun-Times repost below is riddled with distortions -- including the bogus account of the 1999 Seattle IMF/World Bank protests, which the City of Seattle itself concluded was actually a police riot. Sneed has historically had a close 'insider' relationship with top brass in the Chicago police department, routinely shills on behalf of their 'spin' on events -- and does an interesting job of characterizing both the CPD perspective...and their likely style of response...to planned protests against the upcoming Chicago protests this November against the 8th annual CEO conference of the Trans-Atlantic Business Dialogue (www.tabd.org -- incorrectly identified in Sneed's piece below as the U.S. Mayor's Conference. duh.)

Scoopsville!

September 27, 2002
BY MICHAEL SNEED, SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

It's a shocker. Sneed is told the Chicago police are preparing for the onslaught in November of the environmental anarchists who tore Seattle to shreds in 1999.

*Furthermore, Sneed has learned that hundreds of Chicago's top tactical police officers who are preparing to protect Chicago are heading to Washington, D.C., today. They're there to help D.C. cops handle the anarchists who are protesting globalization when the International Monetary Fund meets this weekend in our nation's capital.

*New ground: "It's historic," said a top source. "It's the first time Chicago cops in such numbers are going to do this. It's always been a matter of liability and immunity, but these guys are off-duty volunteers who are being sworn in as deputy U.S. marshals for the weekend. They will be able to observe and assist . . . and carry weapons. And it's not going to cost the city one penny."

*Hot ground: Sneed is told this same group of protesters, who caused Seattle to be placed on curfew and under the protection of the National Guard when the World Trade Organization met there, are heading to Chicago when the National Conference of Mayors meets here Nov. 1.

*Battleground: Sneed hears the police help was requested by Washington, D.C.'s top cop Charles Ramsey, who was once Chicago's deputy police superintendent. (Ramsey was once on Mayor Daley's short list to become Chicago's top cop.)"Chief Ramsey needs the men to supplement his own force because he doesn't want the problem Seattle had when the city was engulfed in violent demonstrations during global trade talks," said the source. "The Seattle police chief didn't have sufficient help and the city was ripped apart. Chief Ramsey does not plan on having the same problem."

*Background: Sneed is told the Chicago police contingent is part of 1,700 law enforcement officers from 24 agencies nationwide responding to D.C.'s plea. The 5,000 radical environmentalists and anarchists who descended on Seattle--aided by 15,000 marchers in a union-backed rally--smashed windows and spray-painted graffiti at top downtown stores. The situation devolved into a state of emergency that lasted for days. The police used tear gas, pepper spray and rubber pellets to quell the trouble.

*Foreground: So what about November's anarchist onslaught on Chicago, when the National Conference of Mayors meets?

"We're prepared," said a source. "We're prepared."