Occupy Anniversary Goes Smoothly in Chicago (Rahm's Not All Bad)

[mucifer]

November 17, 2011. Chicago. On the two month anniversary of the start of the Occupy Wall Street protest movement, marches were scheduled in every major city in America. The day was billed as the national ‘Day of Action’. The timing also takes advantage of the nationwide outrage among the 99 percenters because of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s midnight eviction of the Occupy movement’s base camp in New York. Here in Chicago, things couldn’t have gone more smoothly.

Unlike cities like New York, Oakland and Seattle, there were no violent attacks by police on peaceful protesters. Instead, the entire 45 minute episode appeared almost scripted. That’s probably because it was.

According to various sources, both Occupy Chicago activists and Chicago Police officials were aware the march would culminate in a sit-down strike, blocking the LaSalle Street bridge downtown. Meetings just prior to the confrontation between the two sides let both sides know what to expect and what they would and wouldn’t tolerate.



Continue reading on Examiner.com Occupy anniversary goes smoothly in Chicago - Chicago Independent | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/independent-in-chicago/occupy-anniversary-goes-smoothly-chicago#ixzz1e7GBdI6v

I can say I went to an Occupy Chicago march before and could see the organizers working with the police.
It's the way civil disobedience should be.

If we blame mayors for violent police, we should applaud mayors when things go this smoothly.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I think I'd somewhat rephrase the parenthetical part of your headline

Make that "Rahm's not entirely stupid."

I see no compelling grounds to make a positive moral judgment of him on the basis of this evidence.

Even assholes sometimes get an insight about when not to push something.

[mucifer]

2. Just saying people are being treated with more dignity here in Chicago

than in other parts of the country. From the article it's clear this took a lot of work and planning. BTW the Occupy Chicago movement continues to make headlines here.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. I take your point, but wanted to get in an editorial comment on Rahm.

He's handling the issue with some intelligence, true. For one thing, police Gestapo tactics tend to play out ultimately to the benefit of the insurrectionists, as long as the latter don't try to respond to violence with violence.