On April 17, 2006, United State District Court Judge Virginia Kendall is scheduled to rule on a petition for class certification which was filed more than three years ago on behalf of 800 people who were falsely arrested march 20, 2003, at a massive and peaceful anti-war demonstration called in response to the commencement of the war in Iraq. Attorneys and plaintiffs will hold a press conference on Monday, April 17 at 11 AM in the lobby of the federal building to discuss their reactions to the Judge’s ruling regarding class certification for those arrested. The arrests took place after over 10,000 demonstrators marched from the federal building towards Lake Michigan and north on Lake Shore Drive escorted by the Chicago police.

As the demonstration attempted to march back to Federal Plaza over 800 demonstrators, tourists, local workers and shoppers were encircled for almost three hours by the Chicago Police without probable cause and in violation of the United States Constitution. Over 500 were taken into custody, some held more than 40 hours and several hundred were forced to appear in court on criminal charges which were ultimately dismissed. Extensive discovery in the pending civil rights case has revealed that the 800 were not given an order to disperse nor provided with an opportunity to leave prior to their arrests.

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