This is all second-hand info from several people who were there that have
since telephoned me.

DePaul student, Matt Muchowski, was arrested within the last hour or so
for --supposedly-- chalking some monument (the organge thing) near the
Citibank/Citigroup building. Several people are conducting jail support
down at 18th and State right now.

Numerous other students have been threatened with arrest throughout the day,
and throughout the downtown area, by different cops who say that SIDEWALK
chalking is now illegal on public/city property. It is unclear if they are
just being selective about where it's legal or if it is illegal everywhere.
Based on the reports that I've gotten the latter seems to be the case.

Two examples:


One group of chalkers was threatened for chalking the sidewalk in front of
the Citibank/Citigroup building, and this is contrary the fact that
Commander Reisly (spelling?), the new District 1 commander, told me and
Rachel Perotta face-to-face yesterday that our having chalked outside of
that building earlier (prior to our arrest at Leo Burnett) was completely
legal.

One person was threatened with arrest for chalking the pavement on a stretch
of sidewalk that was in front of a lot still under construction. When the
chalker informed the cop that he had been told by the cops yesterday that it
was legal the cop on hand said not to argue or he would be arrested.

Anyway, please get something up about this, that's edited, and I'll let you
know if I hear anything else.

Eric Peters

Students for Social Justice