Exclusive: Occupy Chicago arrest-free community, 10,000 rights defenders march

After Occupy Wall Street's solidarity community Occupy Chicago was joined by, what citizen reporters told the Examiner on Tuesday, 3000 anti-war protesters Saturday on the the 10th anniversary of the Afghanistan War, 10,000 residents of the Windy City participated in Monday's "Take Back Chicago" including Service Employees International Union and Chicago Teachers Union members. Occupy Chicago has grown into a community that is not engaging in intentional acts of civil disobedience but nevertheless has gained national and world news attention this week with American mainstream reporters plus Euronews reporting its peaceful rallies that include religious leaders along with the multitude of youth against human rights violations stemming from economic injustice.

 

Although some reports are that there have been over two dozen protesters arrested at Occupy Chicago, "It has been verified that those arrested did so intentionally in acts of civil disobedience, and were not part of the Occupy Chicago, a community that's still arrest free,” a young human rights defender stated Tuesday in an email to Examiner's National Human Rights reporter, Deborah Dupré who went to the heart of Occupy Chicago to learn more about the group.

 

"It's very important for people to know that Chicago has achieved no arrests” two of the community peace-workers emphasized.

 

"Locally, members of Occupy teamed up with organizations like Take Back Chicago to stage marches downtown," reported WBEZ 98.5 on Wednesday.

 

Through General Assembly participatory democracy decision making, Occupy Chicago has agreed to avoid police confrontation by waging non-violence against the corrupt machine according to one of its General Assembly meetings last week.

 

As officials cracked down on the expanding Occupy Chicago community of mainly young people occupying the city's street in front of the Federal Reserve Building, both the occupation's information and first aid booth canopy on the corner came down and the group's numbers appeared to decrease, but only because the entire community became mobile.

 

Echoing what others participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement, now over 200 cities across the nation and now, according to the Hollywood Observer on Wednesday, has spread up into Canada countrywide, have said what one of the four Occupy Chicago's pioneers told Dupré, "They can stop some parts of this, but they can't stop the movement."

 

Young Ehren Dohler told Dupré on the street of Chicago's new occupying community that he is participating for many reasons, but mainly due to "money votes," today's vote in the United States is all about how much money a person or political candidate has.

 

"Money votes speak louder than working class votes in this country," Dohler said. "Our country makes it far to easy to buy votes. That's the main reason I'm here."

 

"If you have two jobs and two kids, you're not going to be able to come out with us to join Occupy Walls Street demonstrations or buy votes but you're vote should still count."

 

Protesters marched past President Barack Obama's re-election headquarters and a military recruiting station over the weekend.

 

Daniel Elliott, 28, said one of the reasons he joined the Occupy Wall Street community is that "there are 930 U.S. military bases around the world in 130 countries. All that money could be spent on what Americans need."

 

A fire truck rolled by, its lights flashed and the driver honked in solidarity with the over 150 Chicago peaceful protesters in front of the Reserve Bank. The crowd cheered. 

 

"The postal vehicles do that, too," said young Mark Banks, adding, "The support for this here in Chicago is amazing."

 

Banks added, "This movement is too big to ignore."

 

Following Euronews reporting of Occupy Chicago this week (embedded on this page), a commenter @selfsenter, wrote, "I prefer protests like that, to be honest. That lack of barbarity is what distances this group of people from the government."

 

Occupy Chicago, that began with four young people sleeping on the street, has grown into an organic democratic community with its own government that it says is setting a precedent for the rest of the country. Its participatory democracy process has resulted in the formation of active and well organized community committees, easily observed on the streets and at its General Assemblies.

 

Lifelong learning principles, considered ideal in democracies but seldom seen in the United States education system, are being exercised in the new Occupy Chicago mobile community through its organic process and its new committees. The outcome, in only a few weeks, is that Occupy Chicago now offers services to its members based on their needs.

 

These new community services include National Lawyers Guild legal seminars and theatre workshops, has a book lending library, donated food in carts stretching down the block, a first aid station, an information booth. 

 

Its press committee was quick to make itself known to Dupré while there. One of its members eagerly explained that "this is America's Arab Spring."

 

"Our brothers and sisters who constitute Arab Spring set an example. They showed how to be brave and act powerfully out of love and to affect meaningful change." 

 

Just then, someone yelled, "What does democracy look like?" and the throng of mainly young people with dozens of signs broke into the chant, "This is what democracy looks like!"

 

A camera man was quick to join Dupré on the street and as he photographed the long line of donations, the community donation youth, Mykel Owens was eager to explain the comfort he has found in the new community.

 

"A lot of people feel alone these days," Owens, a young African American said. "Nobody wanted to stand up for social justice on their own but they knew things were terribly unjust in this city."

 

"But just being out here has shown me and others that there are a lot of people who want social justice and they are willing to stand up for what is really right in a non-violent way."

 

"There's tons of solidarity," he said.

 

Owens joined the occupation when there were only fourteen others sleeping in shifts to ensure Chicago's bank area was occupied.

 

"I'd heard about Occupy New York and as soon as I heard about Occupy Chicago following Occupy Wall Street ways, I came down here where they were. I stayed that night. Now, I'm here every day," he said.

 

"This is like starting a new community with people coming out, helping each other and making decisions that are best for us."

 

Kei Majewski, holding a sign that read, "End the Corporate Takeover," said "There's an awakening happening around the country and the world."

 

Leaving the 150 Occupy Wall Street participants that were meeting one evening last week in the park where their General Assemblies are held, two young women stopped Dupré and the young citizen reporter and photographer escorting her.

 

"What are you guys protesting," one of the young women asked.

 

Without hesitation, the citizen reporter said, "We're creating a new world to replace corporate greed with human need."

 

 One of the young women said, "Look up there," pointing to a group of people standing at a window high in the skyscraper across the street, looking down at the happening in the park.

 

"That's our acting class. Our teacher sent us down here to find out what's going on here every night. This is awesome. I'm sure she's going to want to help. She's this really old lady, but she's great."

 

"She's really into this kind of thing, changing the world so it's better."

 

Within moments, using their cell phone, the young people were exchanging contact details and discussing possibilities of the young budding actors beefing up Occupy Chicago's awareness raising street theater. 

 

Walking away minutes later, the young citizen reporter shrugged a little and calmly said with a grin, "Happens all the time here in this new community of ours."

 

Email GDeborahDupre@Gmail.com

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