Police threatened to arrest activists for the 'crime' of passing out handbills in a public park, but were tongue-tied when asked what the charge(s) might be. Prior to the arrests, Lieutenant Nagode, the senior CPD officer on site, repeatedly talked on his radio, apparently asking his superiors for instructions.

He said that he had been given orders to threaten arrests, but repeatedly refused to tell media and activists which of his superior(s) had told him to say that. He DID say that passing out handbills outside of a far-removed protest pit would be the grounds for arrest.

So just what is the mighty Army of Many afraid of? People like Juan Torres, the father of a man killed in Afghanistan, giving a counter story to the well-worn lies of military recruiters?

The fact that ranking officers felt compelled to repeatedly check in with their superiors says that this suppression of free speech was not just a matter of lowly "rogue" officers acting out of pocket. Once again, the Daley administration, with the most militarized school system of any big U.S. city, acts the local pit bull for the war.

We should all give his boss, George Bush, a warm Chicago welcome when he comes to town this Friday to raise funds for gubernatorial candidate Judy Barr Topinka:

11:30 AM
Friday, July 7
In front of the Drake Hotel
Corner of Michigan & Walton Streets, Chicago