Occupy Chicago Prepares For NATO

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http://www.thenation.com/blog/167867/occupy-chicago-prepares-nato

Even though the G8 participants have fled the great city of Chicago in order to bunker down at Camp David, organizers and protesters continue to diligently prepare for the other major conference scheduled for this week, NATO.

Protest plans were announced by activists during a press conference held in an empty warehouse loft on Chicago's south side last week, where press gathered to hear the next steps for the Occupy movement. The conference, organized by Occupy press committee member Rachael Perrotta, and speakers from Occupy affiliated groups, included the speakers listing grievances against NATO and also what the public can expect for the week-long protests.

“Why has Rahm Emmanuel and world business Chicago brought NATO to our city?” said Zoe Sigman of Occupy Chicago. “A city whose communities are crumbling and schools are underfunded? Whose clinics are being closed? Whose jobs are disappearing and whose homes are being stolen by the banks?”

UPI:

"All the demands that we're making -- for social justice, economic equality, against the wars and occupations -- they're all linked by opposition to a system that's out of control," Ashley Smith told the Chicago Tribune.

Smith is one of the out-of-towners who travelled to Chicago for the summit.

Kevin Rambo, 19, is another visitor representing Occupy San Diego, who told the Trib, "There's a revitalized activist community because of the Occupy movement, for the most part. Because of the growing number of people who are getting involved, I couldn't really not protest against NATO."