Organizers of Anti-Violence March Say They’re Willing to Take Arrests to Shut Down Lake Shore Drive
Organizers of an anti-violence march scheduled to take place Thursday say they don’t need Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s backing and are willing to take arrests to get out their message. Rev. Gregory Livingston, one of the organizers of the march, said it would be “ridiculous” to seek the Mayor’s backing, like Father Michael Pflager did when hundreds of people shut down the Dan Ryan Expressway last month. Among other things, Livingston is calling for Emanuel, along with Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson, to resign. “The call of the people is ‘Resign Rahm,’” Livingston said. “So how, then, can you back your own regime change? How do you sanction your own termination?” Chicago Police say they’ve met with at least some potential participants to discuss the size and scope of the march. “In the end, CPD will protect individuals’ right to demonstrate but we also have a responsibility to balance the potential public safety and traffic implications of the event,” said spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi.” (Chicago Tribune)