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Chicago observes the 6th anniversary of the Iraq war
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Behind the scenes: How the protest came together
At first things didn't look so good. The opening rally was scheduled for noon, and at 11:30 a.m. there appeared to be no more than a couple hundred people at the corner of Marshall Boulevard and Cermak Road. In fact, looking around the intersection it seemed that protesters may have been outnumbered by police officers — which would have been ironic, since city officials claimed during the permit battle that they couldn't accommodate the anti-war event on the same date as the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Yes, some of the officers on hand were on loan from the State Police — but county and state officers were present at every other war anniversary protest, none of which were held on the same day as another major event. Police vehicles were also plentiful in number and variety, including those ominous-looking trucks from the Orwellian-sounding Traffic Management Authority. 
Traffic Management Authority behemoth near the rally location
But the police kept their distance and did nothing to obstruct the march, and the crowd thickened as the rally kickoff approached. The protesters' racial makeup was more diverse than usual — a welcome change, since activists have always complained that minorities are underrepresented an anti-war events. As would be expected in this neighborhood, Latinos were very well represented, but there was also a significant Middle Eastern presence, with numerous Palestinian flags around.
This diversity was also displayed onstage as the rally got underway. Ahlam Al-Jabouri, an Iraqi woman who did humanitarian work under the U.S. Army in her homeland, spoke about the difficulties facing Iraqi refugee families trying to settle in the Chicago area. Iraq Veterans Against the War member David Van Dam, who went AWOL from the Navy and eventually received an other than honorable discharge, addressed IVAW's demands, including reparations for the damages Iraq has suffered and adequate health care for veterans. Mexican immigrant Gloria Barrios spoke about her fight to get explanations from the Army about the death of her daughter, Blanca Luna, at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas.
One after another, speakers and performers like Jesus "Chuy" Negrete drove home the point that as far as the wars in the Middle East and issues of social justice are concerned, the Obama administration has so far failed to deliver on its promises of change.
After about an hour, the crowd started to march along the eastbound lane of Cermak Road; as usual, the marchers were flanked by police lines, but as promised by 24th Ward Ald. Danny Solis, the officers were not in full riot gear. The crowd stretched for blocks, but its numbers were unclear; organizers and National Lawyers Guild observers arrived at estimates ranging from high 800s to 1,500. Even the upper range of the estimates would make this by far the smallest war anniversary protest yet, but spirits were high and the neighborhood reacted positively. Drivers honked and gestured in support, and many families waved from their porches and windows; at one point a Burger King employee handed out mini-burgers to marchers.
Alas, something had to go awry. As the march turned north on Dame Avenue, a group of young anarchists did a banner drop from atop a building by Damen and Cermak. And while the marchers were distracted by the banner, someone was arrested.
By Garth Liebhaber
Two witnesses — including Garth Liebhaber, who took the photo above — gave nearly identical descriptions of the arrest. They said police officers kept pointing at a young marcher during the banner drop, then tackled him, hit him with batons, and pepper-sprayed him. The man, who was identified by acquaintances as Oliver Anthony, was then taken to a hospital. It all happened so quickly that most protesters didn't even notice it.
The march the headed east on 18th Street and ended at the intersection of 18th, Loomis and Blue Island. The intersection was closed to traffic, and it provided the setting for another rally that went on for well over an hour as the crowd slowly dispersed.
Afterward a couple dozen activists walked down the street for dinner and drinks at Decima Musa. There, organizer Laura Paz of the Pilsen group Comité Anti Militarización had an exchange about the day's events with ringleader Andy Thayer.
"How do you think it went?" asked Paz.
Thayer shrugged and said, "I'm always greedy with numbers. We did OK, but I would have liked to have seen more."
"Where were all the white people?" asked Paz. "Weren't all other protests about 70 percent white? What happened here?"
Thayer shrugged again, then sighed. "I think it was because our liberal friends still want to give Obama a chance."
