Heralded as the first major action as part of Chicago’s emergency war response plan, the protest has set the stage for days of direct action and civil disobedience. The crowds began to gather around 4:30 PM at the Federal Plaza at Adams and Dearborn in Chicago’s downtown business district. After an hour of speakers, and getting thing set to march by the organizers, the group had swelled to close to 10,000 with more people streaming in.





The crowd was large enough that two march processions headed out of the plaza. The first, which seemed to be the intentional start point headed east towards Michigan Ave. on Jackson Blvd. The second, led by some of the more energized college and high school students headed east one block north on Adams Street.





The Adams march headed to State Street and headed north, while the Jackson march hit Michigan Ave and headed north. As the Adams march turned east on Monroe to catch up with the first group, the police stopped the group cold. Mounted police blocked the street and faced off with the students for ten minutes. One man was arrested and hauled away. After ten minutes, the police backed off and the group saw the mass of people turning from Michigan heading towards the lake.





The Adams group caught up with the main group and by 7:30 the mass of people took Lake Shore Drive. At first the protesters took the north bound lanes but after a few blocks spilled over onto the south bound lanes and weaved among the cars that were now caught in a sea of people.





For those who have no idea what Lake Shore Drive (LSD) is, it is a six lane highway that runs north to south along the Lake Michigan shore line. Both sides were taken over and the crowd went for at least six city blocks. Many drivers and every city bus driver honked in support of the protesters. There were some giving people the number one salute, but most people were to shocked to react in such a way.





Police tried to get people off the south bound lanes, and would succeed for a while. But the protesters would migrate back over to the south bound lanes and play in traffic. Finally the group reached Oak Street Beach and intended to take Michigan Ave and head back south. Even hardcore protests need a break to get a little window shopping in, but the police seemed not to like the prospect.





A stand-off occurred at the intersection of Michigan and Oak. For 45 minutes the mounted police and helmeted city protectors held the protesters in place. By this time the crowded had thinned out a little, down to about 7,000. Some people had managed to slip away as the march hustled up LSD.





Police built up their presence until they had boxed in the protesters allowing them only one way to go. Police said they would allow protesters to head back downtown, but only on the now completely shut down LSD. As the crowd began to move back the police slowly retook the intersection. After the crowd had moved on enough they marched in line and corralled the remaining people in the park.





Groups marched back south and part of the protest veered off on Chicago Ave heading back towards Michigan. They ran head on into a mass of riot police 10 deep. Another group of riot cops, who were cleaning up the rear of the march, stormed down Chicago Ave and blocked the protesters’ retreat.





Police tightened the pen and began to make targeted arrests. First of tactical organizers and “anarchists” then moving on to anyone with a megaphone or a good set of chant-leading lungs. Legal observers report that a woman and her child were also arrested and separated.





Street medics reported the police did not user gas or pepper spray but they had to deal with a number of baton injuries. One protesters suffered a shattered elbow and was taken away to receive medical attention. Legal observers and medics have reported that Daniel Romero, one the lead organizers and a strong figure in the fight to alleviate poverty in the Chicago, was severely beaten when arrested.





After an hour and a half of arrests and support from people not in the police pen, the remaining protesters were let go in single file in groups of ten.





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