Rahm Responds to Occupy Chicago... Via Facebook

By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 18, 2011 1:20PM

Mayor Rahm Emanuel finally responded to the arrests of Occupy Chicago protesters who set up a tent city Saturday night. But you have to go digging around to find it.

The Mayor's press team released the announcement on his Facebook page, along with video from Emanuel's Oct. 9 appearance on Meet the Press where he expressed empathy with the Occupy protests.

The Chicago Police Dept is communicating with protester reps so they understand what laws will be enforced and can avoid arrests. Since the protests began, each morning police met with the demonstrators to discuss the day's activities. Regarding Saturday night, police gave a series of warnings that Grant Park closed at 11pm. Police officers waited approximately 90 minutes after the park was officially closed. When remaining members made it clear they were not going to leave in accordance with the ordinance, arrests were made. It is the obligation of police to enforce the law. Communications with protest organizers continue.

The comments responding to Emanuel's statement are the real treat, somewhere of a cross between civil discourse and YouTube comments.