Several thousand people gathered downtown Tuesday, protesting bank bailouts and tax cuts for the wealthy and demanding jobs and funding for schools.

The rally was organized by "Stand Up! Chicago," which included the Chicago Teachers Union, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the Illinois Hunger Coalition and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

"Instead of investing in our community, instead of investing and creating jobs, they chose to pay their CFOs and CEOs over a billion dollars, and the folks that were out here today just don't think that's fair," Stand Up! Chicago Director E.J. Serrano told NBC Chicago.

Three separate marches snaked through the Loop, each led by a 12-foot-tall "corporate welfare king." The group converged at Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue, where some sat in the middle of the street during rush hour traffic.

The "sit-in" led to 24 arrests, according to NBC. A disabled woman in wheelchair was handcuffed by police for allegedly refusing to move from the street.

The loud group gathered in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce was holding their annual Chicago Executive Summit. About 80 corporate Chief Financial Officers from the Chicago area were expected to attend the summit.

Protesters held signs that read “Give Back Our Schools,” “Give Back Our Homes,” and “Give Back Our Jobs.” Rev. Jesse Jackson also spoke to the crowd.



Check out photos from the rally here, all by Ryan Lee Williams.



PHOTO GALLERY Stand Up Chicago: A Rally Against Corporate Welfare