Occupy Chicago, City Unable to Broker Agreement on Arrests, Permanent Site for Protests

By aaroncynic in News on Oct 28, 2011 7:10PM

Yesterday representatives from the National Lawyers Guild met with Chicago city officials on behalf of the Occupy Chicago's General Assembly. The NLG attempted to broker a deal with the Corporation Counsel’s office to find Occupy Chicago a more permanent place to assemble and demand the charges against those arrested over the last two weekends be dropped. To Occupy’s dismay, the city denied both demands.

After the news was delivered at Thursday night’s general assembly meeting, protesters marched to the Thompson Center to hold a vigil in honor of wounded U.S. Marine Scott Olsen, who suffered a skull fracture from a tear gas canister shot by Oakland police earlier this week. Word went out over Twitter and Facebook that demonstrators were met with both Chicago Police and Illinois State Troopers, who reportedly had a K9 unit and gas masks at the ready.

Given that tensions have been higher this week, I headed down to the Thompson Center to scan the scene. It’s possible that, by the time I arrived, the police put the equipment away and the situation resolved itself, but I found no evidence of any riot gear on the plaza. Police were out in force with zip ties, ready to make arrests, but the situation seemed mostly calm and collected. Demonstrators were not allowed on the plaza itself and were forced to remain on the sidewalk, but the majority of State Police kept their distance, the majority of which lined the inner foyer of the Thompson Center.

While it’s a blow to the Occupy movement to be denied a more permanent base, it’s certainly not unexpected. Activist Micah Philbrook told the Tribune he wasn’t surprised.

“The mayor doesn’t feel he’s in a position to side with the people, and that’s sad,” Philbrook said.

A bigger blow to the movement though, could be the hype surrounding police activity. While it’s important and responsible to get out as much information on the potential for escalating tensions between police and demonstrators, it’s necessary to have as much evidence and remain as factual as possible. Since the beginning, Occupy Chicago has done their best to retain a working and cordial relationship with the police, but on the social media side of things, supporters of the movement are making scenarios seem dire and panicky each and every day. While the official statements coming from Occupy Chicago over the internet are generally measured, individual supports have a penchant to run with hyperbole.

While I agree the increased police presence and agitation are completely unnecessary, generally unprovoked and a form of harassment being used to deter demonstrators from spreading their message, that message is getting lost in the daily drama between police and protesters. Occupy Chicago and the city should broker an amiable solution for both parties regarding a permanent site and it is imperative the movement call attention to the disgraceful actions by Oakland Police. However, if the movement wants to sustain itself long term, it needs to start pushing its actual proposed agenda forward. Focusing the majority of attention on the relationship with the Emanuel administration is starting to become a distraction from the real reasons for the occupation.