NATO Summit Protesters Set Their Sights On Boeing
By aaroncynic in News on May 10, 2012 6:00PM
Protesters plan to target Boeing during the NATO summit, whose corporate offices are located in the loop along the river. Recently, Boeing erected ten foot high barricades outside its building for what they say is a long term construction project, but protest organizers argue that it might have something to do with their planned actions. They plan to “shut down” Boeing’s offices on May 21.
Activists are hoping to bring attention to Boeing’s involvement in producing military equipment. Brian Bean, an organizer of the protest, told the Sun-Times, “Boeing doesn’t just make passenger planes — they should be known internationally more for making the F-18, the B2, the Appache helicopter and a whole host of missiles that are largely dropped on mud villages around the world.” He went on to say that Boeing “represents the synthesis of the dual agendas of war and poverty of NATO and the G-8.”
Boeing Spokesperson John Dern declined to say whether or not employees would work in or out of the office on May 21. He added that the construction project has been planned for months, and the fences will be present until winter. He also said Boeing was “proud to support our military — we support the men and women who are fighting around the world for the United States.”