While people filled out their ballots and Bush was selected to a second term, over thirty cities erupted in protest. Chicago activists threw a week of actions to celebrate our role in changing society outside of mere electoral politics. The message was loud and clear: We don't want Bush, we don't want Kerry. We want an end to all US wars and occupations.

The week kicked off with "Capitalism Gives Us The Creeps", the first annual Halloween anarchist march. Hundreds of costumed anti-capitalists took to the streets in a festive and energetic celebration of our power to change society without Bush or Kerry. Police were nowhere to be seen for hours and when they finally showed up they were powerless to push us to the sidewalks for at least an hour. The march ended at the Treasure Island grocery store where protesters showed support for the striking workers. Activists later joined up with the annual Halsted + Roscoe halloween march to have an anti-capitalist presence to oppose both Bush + Kerry, which was met with much support. The action empowered people to push the boundaries with police + was a very festive way to prepare for the rest of the week's events. Next year's Halloween march will be even wilder.

Election day saw several town hall meetings + media parties to discuss our role in voting and the meaning of democracy. As election results came in, unrest grew and an emergency protest was called when it looked that Bush would likely take the presidency. Within an hour forty people showed up while cops swarmed the convergence point. It was decided that people would split up and perform autonomous actions throughout the night. Among the reports of direct action include smashing + redecorating of several banks and starbucks windows, in addition to a brick thrown through a Republican campaign office while people were still inside. Similar actions happened all over the country.

When Kerry conceded defeat on the 3rd, Chicagoans along with cities all over the nation took to the streets. What was supposed to be just a candlelight vigil and rally, the crowd erupted into the second unpermitted street march as thousands paraded throughout downtown, blocking traffic and confusing cops. The march joined up with the city college teachers strike where a brief rally was held. A second march picked up and headed north on Michigan Avenue towards the Intercontinental Hotel where the Bankers Association for Finance and Trade conference was to be held over the next few days. Police surrounded and blocked the march from heading any further north than the river and refused to cooperate. The march quickly headed backwards, confusing police, and after a crazy light + siren show by several dozen squad cars, the march headed west on the streets towards City Hall where a speakout was held. The crowd soon dissipitated.

The next two days saw the invasion of hundreds of bankers for the international Bankers Association for Finance and Trade conference. Sixty people converged at the front of the Intercontinental Hotel despite police orders to move to an intersection far away and out of sight. Free food was served by Food Not Bombs and soon after a picket was formed. Protesters started pumping up the volume with drums, whistles, megaphones, and radical cheerleader performances to the point where bankers from the hotel came out screaming, demanding that we cut off the racket. After several complaints were filed, police threatened the entire crowd with arrest if the noise did not cease immediately. The next day activists returned to celebrate "Our World is Not For Sale", a nine-hour-long free market where protesters offered free clothes, books, cds, dvds, hot cocoa, toys, candy, and more. The highly spirited crowd handed out hundreds of leaflets, gave out most of the free stuff, and donated the rest to a nearby women's shelter as the event came to a close around 3pm.

With Bush in office, where do we go from here?
The results of the election prove that we cannot stop this empire through electoral methods. Our hopes and dreams will fail if placed into the hands of the democratic party. It's up to us to recognize the power within ourselves and move towards more radical models of organizing. The next four years will be rough as the Bush administration thinks that they have now have free reign to pursue their corporate war agenda to it's fullest extent. Their electoral victory will not beat back our resistance because we will raise hell every day of his illegimate presidency. Be in DC to protest Bush's inauguration, but remember that it's what happens every day that counts, in our communities and in our workplaces.

see you on the streets,
practice wishful thinking

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Several city-wide groups helped organize, support and participate in the week's actions, including but not limited to the Chicagoland Anarchist Network, Peace Pledge Chicago, Education not Empire, Depaul Students Against the War, the radical cheerleaders, Pilsen Food Not Bombs, Chicago Indymedia, Midwest Unrest, the Revolutionary Communist Party, and others.
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Links to pictures / media from the week of actions:
chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/48609
www.hulla-balloo.com/youcouldbedoingthis/
chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display_any/48793
www.nbc5.com/news/3890925/detail.html
chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/48943/index.php
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Other relevant links:
www.chicagonewyork.net/dontjustvote/
www.beyondvoting.org
www.dontjustvote.com
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Activists all over the country have already begun organizing for the protests in DC against Bush's inauguration. Buses are leaving from Chicago to DC and local protests are also being planned.

To become involved with the Chicago organizing efforts against the inaugurations, check
chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/48735/index.php

To join a moderated announcement/relevant discussion listserve for organizing the counter-inauguration, you should send a blank email tocounter-inauguration-subscribe (at) lists.riseup.net

An unfinished website will be available at:
www.counter-inaugural.org/
(A Chicago website will be available soon as well)