Activist Group Calls For 50,000 Protesters At NATO/G8 Summit
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Canadian activist group Adbusters has put out a call for 50,000 people to pack their tents and head to Chicago for a month of protests around the NATO/G8 summits this May.
As WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports, the Web site for the Vancouver-based magazine and activist organization has listed the call under "Tactical Briefing #25: A Showdown in Chicago."
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The notice calling on "redeemers, rebels and radicals" features a black and white picture of a Chicago Police officer going after a protester with a nightstick during the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots.
Adbusters suggests a showdown "in the tradition of the Chicago eight," referring to the eight men who were charged with conspiracy and inciting to riot during the convention – including Abbie Hoffman, Jerry Rubin, Tom Hayden and Bobby Seale.
"On May 1, 50,000 people from all over the world will flock to Chicago, set up tents, kitchens, peaceful barricades and #OCCUPYCHICAGO for a month," the notice said. "With a bit of luck, we'll pull off the biggest multinational occupation of a summit meeting the world has ever seen."
The group has specific political demands, including a "Robin Hood Tax" on the wealthy, a ban on high-frequency "flash" trading, a binding climate change accord, a three-strikes-and-you're-out law for corporate criminal defendants, and an initiative for a nuclear-free Middle East.
"And if they don't listen … if they ignore us and put our demands on the back burner like they've done so many times before … then, with Gandhian ferocity, we'll flashmob the streets, shut down stock exchanges, campuses, corporate headquarters and cities across the globe … we'll make the price of doing business as usual too much to bear," the notice says.
But before that, Mayor Rahm Emanuel eliminated some proposals that would have increased fines on demonstrators for resisting arrest or obstructing a police officer. He also agreed to remove the measure protesters found most objectionable – significantly higher fines for resisting arrest.
City Hall also modified the mayor's proposals to tighten restrictions on parades and public demonstrations.
Adbusters addresses the restrictions, and compares them to the clashes with police in 1968.
"And this time around we're not going to put up with the kind of police repression that happened during the Democratic National Convention protests in Chicago, 1968 … nor will we abide by any phony restrictions the City of Chicago may want to impose on our first amendment rights," the notice says.
