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News :: Protest Activity |
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Tape from World Can't Wait Rally in Chicago, IL |
Current rating: 0 |
by Charles Joseph Smith
Email: charlessmith702210 (nospam) sbcglobal.net (unverified!)
Address: 1710 W. 106th St., Chicago, IL 60643 |
28 Nov 2005
Modified: 05:54:32 PM |
Tape from parts of the "The World Can't Wait"
Rally on November 2 in Chicago, IL had just came in after a 5 week delay.
You will hear the crowd cheers, a few of the speakers, drum sounds from guerrilla street performers, and even one of the call-and-response chants. |
 WorldCannotWaitRallyChant.mp3 (1359 k) |
WorldCannotWaitRallyNovember2A.mp3 (4426 k) |
WorldCannotWaitRallyNovember2B.mp3 (6525 k) |
This was actually the first time I had ever
documented a real direct action event ever
in Chicago. I used a small cassette player
(a regular one, not a microcassette player)
that was put in my backpack.
The event was the "World Can't Wait" Rally
in Chicago's Federal Plaza in downtown,
on November 2, 2005. Held around the lunch hour, the rally drew in
all types of people--Black, Indian, Latinos and Latinas, as well as Caucasians and
Asians.
I had taped about 3 parts of the rally, and
are in MP3 format.
I counted about 3000 to 4000 protestors at
the height of the rally. Police were also showing a show of force. I had counted about 300-400 officers, most in riot gear, and some on horseback. Chicago Police had
sent yellow manifestos to the demonstrators that said that a march
was permitted on Dearborn St. starting north
at Adams all the way to Wacker Dr., and then
the march would bank left on Wacker Dr.
until Clark St., and then turn left on Clark St.
going south on Clark, until the final stop, which was the original starting point at the
Federal Plaza. The end of the manifesto said that
marching any other route than the police suggested would be an illegal
assembly and the police would use force
to break that assembly up.
But because I had to go down to Champaign-
Urbana in the late afternoon, I was unable to participate in the
march...although I wanted to.
But this was the first time I had taped, as I
said before, a direct action. I was inspired
by some of the independent media activists
that I know--namely Jessica Pupovac,
Sandra Ahten, and Megan Guernsey. |
See also:
http://charlessmithpiano.tripod.com
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This work is in the public domain |
