Chicago NATO Protest March

[the pope]

So I went down for the parade. I did not stick around for the rally in front McCormick place because when I saw the riot gear come, and heard the order to disperse, I figured I didn't need that in my life.

Well anyway, here's my pictures, 37 to keep you amused.

Fairly certain this isn't Obama's limo, because at the time of this photo, he was supposed to be addressing everyone.

DSC_3711.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I camped out on the route from downtown to McCormick, so saw a lot of security whizzing by

DSC_3718.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Calm before the storm on Michigan Ave

DSC_3727.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

There was an entire family of these scooters. I dunno, just found them interesting and dorky

DSC_3729.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I'm going to add this to the bicycle thread over in the Skybar

DSC_3738.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Riot Shields and bikes are funny

DSC_3741.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

The group of Vets who turned in their medals

DSC_3744.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

The masses

DSC_3745.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Just about every group was represented here, though the majority was oriented towards NATO

DSC_3746.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Meh

DSC_3747.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

What do we want? Silly hats in 92F Weather!

DSC_3748.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Darn Communisses.

DSC_3753.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

More of the masses

DSC_3755.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Hard to come up with original captions

DSC_3762.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Nice shades

DSC_3763.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I even have something for Canadians!

DSC_3767.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I really don't enjoy the Anarchists

DSC_3769.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Alright, I get it, you don't like your picture taken

DSC_3770.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

No, F you

DSC_3771.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Poor news guys today

DSC_3774.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I like his sign

DSC_3779.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Getting a little repetitive, I know

DSC_3781.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Superintendent McCarthy (highest ranking officer)

DSC_3782.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Rally On

DSC_3790.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

I enjoy the happy, peaceful ones

DSC_3791.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

The wistfully looking on guy belongs on a mural in Philadelphia

DSC_3793.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Jay Cutler has seen better days

DSC_3794.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Wake up, you're marching!

DSC_3799.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Yawn

DSC_3800.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Wikitastic

DSC_3806.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

sorry, pretty much posting everything from Flickr

DSC_3811.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

ditto

DSC_3813.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Had no idea Guy Fawkes was a vegan

DSC_3815.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

He's a killing machine

DSC_3816.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

This guy seemed important to the cause

DSC_3818.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

Your guess is as good as mine

DSC_3824.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

That's my queue to go!

DSC_3834.jpg by the pope UO, on Flickr

[i_am_hydrogen]

Great shots. I'm going to move this to the regular photo forums so it can get more exposure.

[Centropolis]

Cool thread!

[arkitekte]

Nice photos!

[mrnyc]

you can be the president

i'd rather be the pope

[harryc]

Great day for a march.

[the urban politician]

WTF?

Protesters have become such a cliche these days... What am I supposed to gather from looking at this group of people?

[LSyd]

thanks for the interesting pics. if you don't want your photo taken, don't go out in public and protest.

i like the riot gear visors for the horses.

-

[Buckman821]

Very well documented.

These people in black who just seem hell bent on destruction are really just the scum of the earth.

I realize that there are a lot of good people there who really do just have a peaceful message, but they are always gonna get overshadowed when these guys in black show up. If the peaceful types were interested in my opinion (which they are not) I would tell them to go to much greater lengths to distance themselves from these jackasses in black hoodies. All together, this movement, or disjointed cacophony of movements, just doesn't really seem to get how to be taken seriously.

[the pope]

thanks everyone for swinging by.

I always get uneasy around the "anarchists". That group, no matter what location for NATO (or G8/20) always seem to be the violent ones (not taking sides on them vs. police).

Still, one of these days I'm going to actually meet someone who self identifies as an Anarchist, and I always wonder where they come from (they typically don't engage me or the media)

[Hayward]

These are excellent photos. I'm honestly jealous seeing them considering I used my phone the whole time.

Regarding people masking their faces, why need to hide? If you believe in what you're fighting for, why conceal yourself? Anyway I think Buckman821 sums up the marches well in his last sentence. My favorite sign was "Uhhh, what are we protesting again?"

I'm just happy Chicago was spared destruction and damage. I hope I'm not speaking to early, but it seems we've fared better than other cities.

[Lipani]

Sweet photos, man. You have a good eye for capturing people.

One has to wonder, though, how many of those 'anarchists' live with their parents.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Lipani

Sweet photos, man. You have a good eye for capturing people.

One has to wonder, though, how many of those 'anarchists' live with their parents.

Kinda like this one - Nothing says downtrodden quite like La Cross padding.

[ColDayMan]

Somebody should've arrested you!

[ChiTownCity]

Wow, really nice shots! Looks like you beat me to the punch. Oh well... maybe two protest threads won't hurt?

[giovanni sasso]

nice work, popey. very journalistic of you. good coverage, nice pics too. silly anarchists, always ruining everyone's impression of a good protest.

[Michi]

I was driving to Michigan late Sunday afternoon and the traffic on the Kennedy came to a stand still just north of the Loop. I figured LSD should be the only route affected by NATO, but tuning to the AM station, I learned the Kennedy was shut down completely because POTUS' motorcade was blazing through. Then it started to downpour.

NATO

[Austinlee]

Make cookies not war! haha


The anarchists are still saving up some money to buy a box of thumb tacks for their big getaway after blowing up bridges in Cleveland.

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by harryc

Kinda like this one - Nothing says downtrodden quite like La Cross padding.

I know your post was in jest, but as others have alluded to that dude is Black Bloc. For the most part Black bloc does not show up at these protests to protest, or for solidarity, or to fight for the rights of the downtrodden. Peaceful nonviolent protest is not on their agenda.

Black blocs are mainly filled with people not smart enough to understand that Gandhian nonviolence means NO VIOLENCE and, as others have alluded to, anarchists. Anarchist have only two goals: to confront authority and anarchy.

So while to you see him wearing expensive motorcycle gear is antithetical to the plight of the downtrodden (and it is), I see his mere presence there as anarchist as antithetical to the plight of the downtrodden from a nonviolent protest perspective.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_bloc

[Ch.G, Ch.G]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

Protesters have become such a cliche these days... What am I supposed to gather from looking at this group of people?

I know. It's like a caricature of a protest. On the one hand, I'm always happy to see people exercise their First Amendment rights. On the other, there's no clear message, and most of what's being protested has nothing to do with NATO. People would have taken it more seriously if they had focused on one issue, like Afghanistan or the possibility of war with Iran. Instead, for most of the population, it was a complete joke.