Police Rip-off Taxpayers
First the Essay - then the photo evidence.
Who Wastes Taxpayer Money?
Who is responsible for the waste of taxpayers’ money on October 28th, 2006 when hundreds of riot police were mobilized in the Loop for an anti-war protest that was not planned? Tony C. Yang reported for the Chicago Tribune on Sunday, 10/29, that spokesperson for the police, Monique Bond, suggested the protesters should be billed for the mobilization because they stood the police up.
The facts are that the city’s police department never issued a permit for the march to the peace group, Illinois Anti-War Coalition. The police repeatedly ignored their phone calls and faxes about the requested permit forcing the group to adopt and very publicly promote alternative tactics that did not require a permit. The police, who monitor anti-war groups, must have been aware of the group’s very public change of plans. What was their intention in mobilizing for a march that they never gave a permit for and which was never publicly promoted?
First and foremost, in the years of peace marches in Chicago since the war began, there has never been a violent incident that requires the huge police presence this city employs at peace protests. Never! At every one of these protests taxpayers’ money was wasted.
Actions speak louder than words. The reason the city mobilizes so many police at peace marches is seen easily by watching how those police have been employed. They march on all sides of the protesters to isolate the protesters and to discourage any interaction between the protesters and other citizens on the streets. It is obvious that they are employed as a force to intimidate and discourage the free speech of those speaking out against the war and any interaction with those outside the march who might be sympathetic to the marchers’ message.
Who is ordering this waste of taxpayer money? Is it the Mayor? Does the city council rubberstamp this waste? Why has the media not investigated or even commented on this abuse of protesters free speech rights by this over use of police force? Did the police plan to arrest those who marched without a permit on October 28, 2006 and then because no-one showed up - to charge them with the bill? Are we to laugh or cry? Who, indeed, is responsible for this joke of democracy? What politician will speak-up against it?
Police plan their strategy to contain protesters at October 5, 2006 anti-war protest led by another group. The photos from this action illustrate the waste of taxpayer money by police in Chicago.
Protesters begin to march. Notice my setup for peace patch give-away and sales. Earlier a park board security officer pulled up in an official vehicle and tried to convince me I was breaking the law by selling on park property. I laughed and told him I was not on park property. I told him to go find a real cop. He left acting like he was calling in on me. I laughed. The neighborhood was crawling with police. They had paddy wagons parked across the street. They had dozens of Cook County Sheriff buses parked along the street. They left me alone.
This was not the biggest protest rally but it was about 2-3 thousand people peacefully walking to the Federal building in a straight line. This not what march organizers wanted but is was all the police would allow. Organizers had hope to snake around the Loop marching up Michigan Avenue and then back down to Federal Plaza. As the war grows longer - the routes police allow to protesters grow shorter.
Dozens of Cook County Sheriff’s Buses that imported police for this event are parked along streets near the march route. I am left behind to pack up my patches and t-shirts before rolling to catch up with the slow moving march ahead of me on Jackson Street.
The police were ready to arrest everybody they could grab and they wanted to be sure everyone from bystanders to protester knew free speech is a risky business in Chicago. I passed two blocks of paddy wagons before catching up to the march. Because the police would only let protesters march in a straight line from Grant Park to the Federal Plaza, marchers moved very slowly to maximize their visibility to Loop visitors.
Police cars block off the tail end of the march while helmited officers line the route walks separating pedestrians on the street from the marchers.
Police on horse back add drama. They rode along the route before the marchers and their horse shit on the route leaving mounds of dung for marchers to step carefully around. This was a well paid outing for these happy campers.
A back line of police keep the marchers from straying or straggling. Behind them are the paddy wagons.
I have been able to catch up and walk ahead of the marchers as they approach Federal Plaza. This march has been very limited by the dictates of the Chicago Police. They are surrounding the Plaza awaiting the marchers.
Slow step by slow step the marchers advance. The police protect them from many contact with the rest of the city’s population.
Marchers pore into Federal Plaza.
Protesters take over Federal Plaza for a few hours surrounded by police.
Police crowd around the plaza with little to do as the protesters listen to speeches and enjoy a time of togetherness. Why does a peace march require this costly out pouring of police manpower? Who authorizes this waste?