What a fabulous march. God I'm glad I was in Chicago for this.. I never thought we'd see these numbers here.





I was detained at about 8:30-9:00.





I informed the police at the front of the march i wanted to walk own michigan avenue and protest this war i do not agree with, but have to pay for.





they denied my rights and i informed them i was prepared to engage in civil disobedience if they did not stand aside.





i was told to not come any closer. I lowered my head and began to move forward. I was escorted directly to the wagon without missing a stride. they did not engage in any physical violence toward me.





I asked the cop at the wagon why they did not understand how my request was not unreasonable, that i was opposed to the war and that walking down a street was not too much to ask considering the money we are spending to kill cancer and starvation patients.





he said "fuck them... kill all of them, bomb the whole thing and make a parking lot out of it".





he informed me he was aware of my opinion, and that was his. I thanked him for sharing his opinion and informed him it would be noted.





i was greeted in the wagon by a man maybe 15-20 years my senior. he was a cool-headed very mellow and sensible guy.





a young black female was put on the wagon, then removed to the female wagon, all of this in very violent means. Then, two of my friends from my neighborhood joined us. the guy with the dogs, and the guy who owns the bookstore.





the guy with the dogs was abused physically, i informed the cops the man had injuries and recent surgery, they took it easier on him but remained sadistic. i don't think the guy who owns the bookstore was abused.





then a young man with a broken nose got on the wagon. he was hit with a baton. there was blood everywhere, on several peoples clothes and on he floor of the wagon.





a flailing man struggled with police but was finally subdued and put on the wagon. a young kid who wants to make a communist revolution kept the cops really extra perturbed by using words like 'pig' and just being generally annoying.





the cops consistently cuffed people on the ground, then forced them to enter the wagon in a really difficult and unweildy manner.





several of the men including a juvenile, complained of tight cuffs, to no avail... there were purple and blue hands in the wagon.





we all helped each other a lot.. we joked and kept each other cooled down as much as possible.





they began processing us outside the wagon... one at a time. when it was time for the kid with the broken nose they left him on the wagon and surrounded the back door of the wagon with cops so no one could see his nose and bloody clothes. the head honcho tough guy cop..named schmidt, tried to push the kids face into the wall again to hurt him more but was unsuccesful.





when we got to the station the male and female cops all were sadistic and disturbed. i think in most cases cops brains are wired a little differently than the rest of us... so they show no compassion. only they are allowed to make jokes, even when they are not funny.. and even though they have very poor organizational skills, and can't hardly fill out paper work, they always get to make jokes about how stupid WE are. it is a very isolated and power oriented world they live in.





we were in there by 10pm and were not let out till about 11am. they stalled alot and kept acting or maybe actually being all confused.. we think they didn't want to let us out for todays morning activities. there were regular rounds of beat cops parading by us to hurl insults.





the two officers who came in after shift cahnged had us out within two hours of their arrival. they were efficient and expedient, even gracious.. there should be no surprise they were women.





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2 arrest accounts:





a young man getting off a bus.. not protesting


an elder man exiting the hospital.. not protesting.





i'm glad the march was spontaneous and not controlled by control freak groups... that's the best way for a movement to grow. too many people i think sacrifice growth for control... i'm really proud of the younger kids today and very impressed by their knowledge and sophisticaion. i think they know what to do.