On Wednesday June 23rd a group of activists with ChicagoNewYork.Net had scheduled a banner holding above the Eisenhower Expressway. Upon arrival to the meeting point one activist was approached by a CPD Seargent and asked if he was going to hold the banner above the freeway. When the activist answered yes, he was told they would be personally responsible for any traffic altercations and if they proceeded they would be arrested.

The Seargent went on to say he had police manning all of the nearby bridges and any attempt would result in arrest.

One activist, walking over the bridge, was accosted by a CPD uniform and was told to open his bag. Upon refusal the officer told him that the activist was not complying with a legal order and proceeded to open the bag and search it.

Several hours later two other activists, crossing over the Eisenhower to attend the ChicagoNewYork.net meeting, were accosted by uniformed CPD officers and were also forced to submit to a search and pat down.

Upon arriving at the meeting room at the UIC Behavioral Sciences Building activists were met by a uniformed UIC Police Officer who had locked the door and refused admission.

Who knows how many other people had to submit to searches and pat downs last night.

This stripping of First and Fourth Amendment rights is reprehensible. This type of police repression has got to stop!

The bannering went on elsewhere, the meeting was held under the setting sun. As a movement are we ready to react quickly (like we did yesterday) in an ever increasing repressive atmosphere?

As the RNC and DNC draw closer this escalation of repression is only going to get worse, serving as an awakening to why we need to say NO! to Bush and ALL he stands for!

The next meeting of the ChicagoNewYork.net group
Thursday July 1st
Columbia College Cafeteria
1104 S Wabash
6:30 pm

All Activists Invited

Tickets to New York are now available for August 29th. Buses leave Saturday at 5:00 pm and return Monday morning.