Carl - Apparently you haven't taken the time to actually read one of the 7,000 double sided flyers distributed by the M-19 Coalition to folks arriving in the vicinity of Oak and Michigan - which urged those who were worried about arrest to make their own way safely back down to Federal Plaza by whatever route suited them if ordered to disperse by the CPD, take stacks of leaflets and flyer passerbys on the way down. And that is exactly what many did.

(the flip side of this flyer details just how much Illinois tax payers have paid so far for the war and occupation, and more importantly cites the tens of thousands of US and Iraqi lives lost )

Still, a surprising number who wanted to march despite the police threats made their way over join the feeder marches blocked on Dearborn and Oak, for the march down Dearborn to Federal Plaza rally, - scoring what the Sun-Times described as a 'small victory' against police efforts to herd them down Clark St again this year.

As for Alderman Joe Moore, no one pressed him to march in an unpermitted march or rally and risk arrest, after it became clear that the originally scheduled rally at Oak and Michigan would be precluded by the police, -- but to simply speak at a press conference on the sidewalk. His deplorable collapse of nerve was on public display Saturday, and it was a tragic farce - particularly from one of our 'allies.'

Am planning on sending Joe some chapstick as well.

But kudos to Rev Paul Jakes, Rev. Dan Dale, legendary peace activist Brad Lyttle, Andy Thayer, Bill Davis of VVAW, military mom Pat Vogel, Chris G, and the over 150 people - including many CAWI activists -who had the intestinal fortitude to gather for that press conference, and speak out against the the war and political repression at home, despite the police intimidation they had to endure.

And as Chris noted, a special shoutout to the lady with a stroller whose courage put politicians like Moore to shame.

PS: And in an interesting (and ironic) twist, a Boston City Councilor, Chuck Turner, urged everyone at the close of their M-19 mass rally in Boston Common to join an unpermitted march originally planned by a group of young anarchists. The march snaked through the streets of downtown Boston before returning to the rally site. (read all about it at Boston IMC)