Sorry, J, but that's a crock. The police did not deploy in numbers against the breakway on Clark, because there really was no reason to. They were far more interested in preventing marchers on Dearborn from making a last ditch snap effort to veer east to State St. - just one block away - and perhaps all the way to Michigan, from Deaborn. That's what they were worried about, and suspected that this possible scenario motivated the decision by the crowd to return down Dearborn after an hour of futile negotiations to demand State St. And that's why they deployed in force along intersections on the route back. They were playing defense, expecting the fast break. Little wonder they were eager to prevent anybody from Clark St from rejoining the march down Deaborn..or why they were not too disappointed by the march split.

It's also my hunch that some the groups who consciously chose Clark also weighed the possibility that just such a break out attempt might occur if the march returned southbound on Dearborn, and would result in arrests. So they played it safe instead.

Beyond the issue of keeping faith with the M-19 consensus not to march down Clark St under any circumstances, this was the practical difference between Clark and Dearborn, -- it was one block closer to State - and beyond to Michigan.