The March 20 Anti-War Organizing Coalition Press Conference

When: Noon, Wednesday, March 17
Where: 5th Floor, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Chicago

Anti-War Groups to Invite Daley to join them in the street for 3/20 Peace March

CHICAGO: Representatives of dozens of peace groups throughout the metro area will gather in front of Mayor Richard Daley's office at noon, Wednesday, March 17 to formally invite Daley to march with them this Saturday to protest the one-year anniversary of the war and occupation of Iraq. The City's Transportation Department formally denied the group a permit to march on the street on March 20, starting at noon at Pearson & Michigan, near the site of mass arrests and widely documented police violence on the same day last year.

"Chicago is an anti-war city, and our City Council passed an anti-war resolution last year, with Mayor Daley's blessing, to oppose unilateral war on Iraq," says Pearlie Stuckey, the mother of an Army serviceman who recently returned from Iraq and may be shipped back soon. "We have a right and a moral responsibility to publicly voice our opposition to this unjust war in as
visible a way as possible, and that is to march down Michigan Avenue to our permitted rally at the Federal Plaza. It is legal for us to march on the sidewalk, and we will if we have to, but we think Mayor Daley should stand with Chicagoans, grant us our street permit, and march with his constituents."

Organizers argue that the City and police should embrace the logic of allowing protesters to move more quickly, and with less disruption of street and foot traffic to local businesses, by taking the street to their permitted 1:30 rally at the Federal Plaza. They've asked supporters to phone, fax, write and email Daley's office to grant their permit.

They note that, while the City routinely shuts down streets for events like St. Patricks' Day and Michigan Avenue's annual holiday lighting ceremony, City officials remain far less willing to accomodate legitimate political expression. That policy, organizers say, reflects a disturbing nationwide clampdown on civil liberties that Daley should refute by granting their street permit and joining them to voice opposition to the Bush administration's policy of unilateral war and occupation.

On March 20, 2003, some 15,000 protesters flooded Lake Shore Drive in an emergency protest and march to mark the start of the Bush war on Iraq. The action drew national news coverage. Chicago police at the scene gave permission for the protesters to march on the Drive, but later reversed an agreement to let them march down Michigan Ave. back to the Federal Plaza and arrested close to 800 people, including protesters, bystanders and local workers leaving their jobs. All charges against arrestees who fought their cases were later dropped, and the arrests have sparked a class action civil rights lawsuit. This Saturday's noon march will complete last year's derailed march.

Peace groups are traveling from as far away as St. Louis and Michigan to participate in the 3/20 peace march.

Media contact:
Rachel Perrotta: 773-569-0568