Police Presence Increases at Occupy Chicago as Michelle Obama Comes to Town

By aaroncynic in News on Oct 26, 2011 10:00PM

After a night of truly reprehensible and abhorrent violence at Occupy protests in Oakland, mass arrests at an Occupy camp in Atlanta and police clearing one in Orlando, the situation in front of the Federal Reserve here in Chicago seemed more tense than usual. Reports and photos coming in from Twitter and Facebook updates suggest that Chicago police have doubled their presence at Occupy Chicago on LaSalle and Jackson, possibly because of Michelle Obama’s visit to the city.

Starting from the courtyard of the Chicago Board of Trade, Occupy Chicago activists marched down to city hall to deliver their message directly to the mayor’s office. They marched through City Hall, up to Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office and presented representatives for Rahm two petitions signed by thousands, demanding march permits for the NATO and G8 summits next year and the charges against arrested Occupiers be dropped. The mayor’s office accepted them and responded to Occupy Chicago via Twitter.

Considering tensions continue to mount nationwide between Occupy movements and local police forces, a meeting between the mayor and the movement may be long overdue. Unfortunately for both sides, neither seems to be able to find a compromise. After delivering the petitions, Mayor Emanuel has refused to actually see them. Though the mayor has invited representatives for a sit down meeting, Occupy Chicago demands he present himself at a General Assembly meeting, which he has refused.

Tomorrow, representatives from the National Lawyers Guild will meet with officials from city hall to discuss a location for a more permanent location.