Residents of Condo Told to Leave Chicago During NATO Summit

[Dusty]

Is this a big deal?

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...treet-20120420

Chicago - Residents of a Chicago condo whose building will be in the eye of the NATO storm are being warned that they should move out for the weekend ... or risk being trapped inside by rioters.

FOX Chicago News was first to report Friday that the people living in the 17-floor Library Tower building at 520 South State Street were warned in a letter from condo management that "we are STRONGLY recommending that all residents find places to stay during the conference from May 18 through May 21."

NATO summits often attract crowds of thousands of protesters. Currently, a march is planned on Sunday, May 20, from the Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park past Library Tower on State Street to McCormick Place.

The condo is hiring two off-duty police officers to provide security; those cops will be armed.

"In the event of a riot or the potential of one near the building, all access doors will be locked including the garage door," the letter continues. "For everyone's safety, we will be instructing anyone in the building to stay in his or her unit."

"I can't just leave my garage whenever I want. They'll be holding us hostage in here," said resident Sebrina Krielinger

[greenberetTFS]

Being born and raised,liveing there 62 yeasrs before coming to Mississipi,I've never heard about something like this ever happening...........

Big Teddy

[Gypsy]

Yes I think it is going to be a big deal. Glad I live nowhere near there.

The NG will be around too...

[cbtengr]

Originally Posted by Dusty

Is this a big deal?

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news...treet-20120420

Chicago - Residents of a Chicago condo whose building will be in the eye of the NATO storm are being warned that they should move out for the weekend ... or risk being trapped inside by rioters.

FOX Chicago News was first to report Friday that the people living in the 17-floor Library Tower building at 520 South State Street were warned in a letter from condo management that "we are STRONGLY recommending that all residents find places to stay during the conference from May 18 through May 21."

NATO summits often attract crowds of thousands of protesters. Currently, a march is planned on Sunday, May 20, from the Petrillo Band Shell in Grant Park past Library Tower on State Street to McCormick Place.

The condo is hiring two off-duty police officers to provide security; those cops will be armed.

"In the event of a riot or the potential of one near the building, all access doors will be locked including the garage door," the letter continues. "For everyone's safety, we will be instructing anyone in the building to stay in his or her unit."

"I can't just leave my garage whenever I want. They'll be holding us hostage in here," said resident Sebrina Krielinger

You think you have heard it all. Were I a resident of this area I would respectfully request that the summit be held elsewhere if my local police department was unable to assure my abilty to come and go as I please during these three days. Whose country is this? Does anyone recall Chicago in 68 ?

[The Reaper]

I agree.

The First Amendment rights of the protesters end where my right to come and go peacefully from my home begins.

Why would a city agree to host this conference if it is that dangerous?

TR

[Penn]

I am all for this conference evolving into chaos: hopefully larger and more brutally repressed that the DNC of 1968; the results of which began a republican run, except for Carter's one term, till 1992.

[MR2]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I agree.

The First Amendment rights of the protesters end where my right to come and go peacefully from my home begins.

Why would a city agree to host this conference if it is that dangerous?

TR

While I understand the sentiment - I do believe that responsible exercise of the First trumps the others.

I suppose it depends on ones perception of what reasonable accommodation is. Would we be so upset if it was a DNC event causing the disruption? How about a NRA event?

The last line from the posted article: "I'm inconvenienced by parades and a lot of other things. I can't get out on the day of the Thanksgiving Day parade. So that's just a part of city life," said Lunz.

So you sow, so you shall reap.

[The Reaper]

Originally Posted by MR2

While I understand the sentiment - I do believe that responsible exercise of the First trumps the others.

I suppose it depends on ones perception of what reasonable accommodation is. Would we be so upset if it was a DNC event causing the disruption? How about a NRA event?

The last line from the posted article: "I'm inconvenienced by parades and a lot of other things. I can't get out on the day of the Thanksgiving Day parade. So that's just a part of city life," said Lunz.

So you sow, so you shall reap.

Please provide me an example of an NRA event spilling into the street and blocking access to and from homes.

TR

[MR2]

It is not necessarily the event that is interfering with public access that you allude to but rather the protest of said event.

Take the recent CPAC Conference in the nations capitol. It was the protesters that interfered with both the peaceful public and attendees (Mr. Breitbart not withstanding) access to and from the conference.


Along a similar thread, there is a report of the Mayor of Tampa which hosting one of the political conventions this year trying to have concealed carry revoked during the week of - in areas controlled by the city, yet outside of the National Security Zone. He is being stymied by Florida law - here's the story.


Tampa may seek Gov. Rick Scott's help keeping guns away from RNC protests

[kgoerz]

You would think, IT BEING 2012. They could figure out Tele-Confrence.

[Richard]

One thing I discovered when I ran with the bulls is that every July when the mobs show up in Pamplona for Fiesta San Fermin, the locals living near the route used for the daily running rent out their apartments and head for a week at the beaches at San Sebastian or to the Pyrennes for a camping vacation.

So, it's the condo association's management who is 'advising' residents - just in case.

Here's a bit more background on the upcoming situation.

Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Richard

Don’t Repeat 1968, Anti-war Activists Warn Chicago
Nation, 29 Mar 2012

Anti-war protesters on Tuesday warned Chicago that what they called draconian measures to isolate as many as 10,000 people expected to protest during a NATO summit in May threatened to repeat mistakes that led to violent clashes at the 1968 Democratic Convention.

Anti-war protesters who were denied a permit to march on the NATO meeting on May 20 accused city leaders of playing games with their right to demonstrate peacefully and said they would be dissatisfied if limited to “a meaningless walk in the park.” The protesters were initially granted a permit to rally and march on May 19 to mark the back-to-back G8 and NATO summits being hosted by Chicago. But when the G8 summit was moved to Camp David they asked to push the rally date forward one day to coincide with the NATO summit, May 20-21.

The permit application called for 5,000 demonstrators, but organizers said it could grow to 10,000 or more protesting a decade of war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al-Qaeda by the United States and its NATO allies.

The city denied the second protest permit, saying the NATO summit would require motorcades transporting 5,000 people and that a demonstration would pose problems with traffic and safety and overtax police resources. The city offered an alternative: assemble in lakefront Grant Park, where President Barack Obama declared victory on the night of his November 2008 election win, and take a slightly different route to the summit site.

But protest organizers rejected the alternative site and appealed to a city administrative court judge o n T uesday, arguing that a rally in Grant Park would take them out of the spotlight.

They feared the U.S. Secret Service could order the protesters kept in the park and away from the summit and the downtown area where delegate hotels are located.

“It would be a meaningless walk in the park,” organizer Andy Thayer said.

Thayer recalled former Mayor Richard J. Daley’s attempt to drive out anti-Vietnam War protesters who descended on the 1968 Democratic convention, which was marred by violent confrontations with police in city streets and parks. The 1968 confrontations have marred Chicago’s reputation ever since.

“There will be plenty of people very angry at Mayor (Rahm) Emanuel” Thayer said outside the courthouse. Emanuel is a former White House chief of staff for Obama.

“The problems in 1968 began when Mayor Richard J. Daley denied all reasonable permit applications,” he said. “So Mayor Emanuel, if you learn something from history, don’t follow the example of Richard J. Daley.”

Earlier this year, the Chicago City Council passed Emanuel’s request to limit the hours for public use of city parks and impose other restrictions, with the NATO and G8 meetings in mind. In response to criticism, Emanuel eased the restrictions.

Harvey Grossman of the American Civil Liberties Union said the ordinance reinforced the city’s reputation for dealing strictly with protests.

City officials have insisted they want to balance the rights of the protesters with public safety.

“Chicago has made it more difficult to get permits compared to other cities,” said Sue Basko, a lawyer working with the protesters. But she praised Chicago police for their handling of recent Occupy Wall Street protests, which were generally peaceful and resulted in fewer arrests compared to other cities.

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-ne...s-warn-chicago

[Gypsy]

Originally Posted by cbtengr

Were I a resident of this area I would respectfully request that the summit be held elsewhere if my local police department was unable to assure my abilty to come and go as I please during these three days.

They don't care. Politicians I mean, I'm quite sure the LEOs do. But the new king errr mayor of Chicago is bound and determined to have it and so shall it be. The minions will just have to deal.

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I agree.

The First Amendment rights of the protesters end where my right to come and go peacefully from my home begins.

Why would a city agree to host this conference if it is that dangerous?

TR

Agree. I don't know any residents that want this. The G8 was of concern as well until it was pulled. Employees of banks were even told NOT to dress up but to wear jeans etc so as not to call attention to themselves.

Originally Posted by Penn

I am all for this conference evolving into chaos: hopefully larger and more brutally repressed that the DNC of 1968; the results of which began a republican run, except for Carter's one term, till 1992.

Yeah thanks but we don't need that kind of chaos here.

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by Gypsy

Yeah thanks but we don't need that kind of chaos here.

Nope. Hope it's not worse this time. This is the season when Dems appear to equate discourse with brickbat. It's a symptom of the frustration borne of total ignorance.