McCarthy: Chicago Will Be Ready for G-8, NATO Summit Protestors

AP Photo/Paul Beaty

The NATO and G-8 summits in Chicago aren't for another ten months in Chicago but Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy already has visions of anarchists and dirty hippies in his head. McCarthy is well in the planning stages for expected protests of the two meetings.

McCarthy has placed Deputy Superintendent Debra Kirby in charge of preparing the Department's response to the protestors, has been in contact with Secret Service, State Department and other federal agencies regarding protecting foreign dignitaries and will be sending representatives to Seattle and Pittsburgh to discuss the response of those respective cities to protestors. Seattle's response to WTO protestors in 1999 is well-documented, while Pittsburgh police had their hands full with a 2009 G-20 summit.
For that matter, he can see his own department's response to a March anti-war protest.

McCarthy, knowing that the world's focus will be on Chicago next spring, relishes the opportunity.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the professionalism of this agency,” McCarthy said. “The entire department has to be prepared to respond to this event.”

United National Antiwar Committee spokesman Joe Iosbaker said his organization has already scouted locations for protests and marches, and sought permits for protests at Daley and Federal Plazas.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@chicagoist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Chuck Sudo in News on July 15, 2011 8:38 AM

Comments [rss]

ChicagoD

...Garry McCarthy already has visions of anarchists and dirty hippies in his head.
Weird. Why would he have . . . oh, right. Because experience can be a very good teacher.

Navin_Johnson

Indeed, experience tells us that peaceful demonstrators will have to be vigilant and keep an eye out for instigators police agent provocateurs or teeny anarchists :

Police came under fire Tuesday, when a video surfaced on YouTube that
appeared to show three plainclothes police officers at the protest with
bandanas across their faces. One of the men was carrying a rock.

In the video, protest organizers in suits order the men to put the
rock down, call them police instigators and try unsuccessfully to unmask
them.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

ChicagoD

Ah, the classic Navin. Find one like to one event and extrapolate the entire universe. Well played, sir. Although, in fairness, you've had tremendous experience.

BlueFairlane

...Garry McCarthy already has visions of anarchists and dirty hippies in his head.

Well, lord knows we don't want our police superintendent thinking about how to handle an event almost always marred by violence before it happens. Better to wait until the bricks start flying.

Navin_Johnson

Superintendent Garry McCarthy already has visions of anarchists and dirty hippies in his head.

He'll have to find a few cops to go undercover as said anarchists to instigate violence as well.