FightBack! News! | NATO/G8 Summit to be held at Chicago’s McCormick Place, protests planned

Chicago, IL – The U.S. State Department and City of Chicago officially announced Dec. 8 that the May 2012 meetings of NATO and the G8 will be held at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Joe Iosbaker of the Coalition Against NATO/G8 War & Poverty (CANG8) agenda said, “All the signs were pointing to McCormick Place.” He added, “Now Mayor Emanuel has one less excuse to refuse to grant us permits for the protest marches we are planning.”

CANG8 organizers are frustrated in their dealings with the city. “Mayor Emanuel pretty clearly wants the politicians, generals and bankers coming to Chicago to leave here without having heard from the 99% of the people who oppose them,” said Iosbaker.

The city blew off meetings they set up with the activists throughout the fall. A meeting finally happened in November, but the officials there would not meet the demands of the coalition: to publicly commit to provide permits for marches within sight and sound of the summit.

Iosbaker continued, “The U.S./NATO war in Afghanistan is continuing and expanding into attacks on Pakistan and the wealthy G8 countries are forcing changes on the workers of Europe, such as raising the retirement age, cutting social spending and privatizing jobs.” The Occupy Wall Street movement has led hundreds of thousands to protest these same kinds of attacks on the 99% in the U.S. in recent months.

“The meetings of the 1% will be inside the McCormick Place and the 99% will be marching there, with permits in hand,” promised Iosbaker.