Prepare For Delays: NATO Summit Security Perimeter Announced

By Chuck Sudo in News on Apr 25, 2012 2:00PM

The security perimeter for the May NATO Summit was announced yesterday and, as expected, the immediate area surrounding McCormick Place will become something of a demilitarized zone.

The perimeter runs from Lake Michigan on the east to Indiana Street on the west, and from 21st to 25th Streets. The Secret Service is also shutting down Lake Shore Drive from Roosevelt Road to 31st Street and I-55 from I-94 to Lake Shore Drive while meetings are in session at McCormick Place; those shutdowns could occur last-minute. McFetridge Drive will be the northern boundary of the perimeter east of Lake Shore Drive, and Cermak Road and 23rd Streets will be open to pedestrians only between Michigan Avenue and Indiana Avenue.

McCormick Place's west building will be completely shut down, while the south building will be used for the summit and the north building will be dedicated to media. The ACLU announced the perimeter yesterday after meeting with the Secret Service. They had threatened legal action if the Secret Service didn't release details of the security perimeter in a fair amount of time to prepare for protests.

"This may be the premiere convention site in our city and the country, but it's not a good place to facilitate free speech," said Harvey Grossman, ACLU. "We're hoping this is a mecca of free speech for the weekend, and we're hoping all branches of government facilitate that."

Andy Thayer of the Coalition Against the NATO and G8 Summits said he's disappointed, but not surprised, by the perimeter. As a result, CANG8 will stop its planned march one block short on May 20, at Cermak Road and Michigan.

“The First Amendment is supposed to guarantee the right to free speech within sight and sound of the location you’re protesting. This doesn’t really respect the First Amendment. It’s a sad indictment of the state of democracy in the United States,” he said.

“If you can’t truly live up to supporting the First Amendment and having the summit, you shouldn’t have the summit. No one in this town asked for the summit besides President Obama and Mayor Emanuel.”

Thayer said it's possible the northern boundary of the perimeter may be moved to Roosevelt road because of summit-related events scheduled on the Museum Campus.