On Jan. 5, a permit application for a demonstration observing the 6th anniversary of the Iraq war was filed by activist Bob Schwartz. The requested date was Saturday, March 14, and the location was Pilsen, the heart of the city's Latino community.

Schwartz was actually fronting for Andy Thayer, leading gay rights and anti-war organizer with a long history of challenging the city on civil liberties matters. Alas, the ploy for leniency didn't fly; the city denied the permit request, and they addressed the rejection letter to Thayer.

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