The City of Chicago on Thursday issued the first protest permit for the May NATO/G8 summits, and city officials say they expect to issue more in coming weeks.
The first approved permit went to the Coalition Against the NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda, requesting presence at Daley Plaza during the May summits. A separate permit filed by the same organization from Daley Plaza to Indiana Avenue & 23rd Street is set to be approved.
“As the City of Chicago issues permits for these events, we stand in strong support of the applicant organizations’ First Amendment right to protest,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Emanuel warned that the federal government is still planning the summits and the security measures surrounding them, but he pledged to work with permitted organizations if designated security zones get in the way.
“If the Secret Service designates security zones that impact the sites and routes of these events, the City of Chicago and its sister agencies pledge to work with the organizations to find alternate sites and routes,” said Mayor Emanuel.
Emanuel said Chicago is working with the Secret Service and Federal Security Planning teams to establish an official protest area where the City "will provide sound amplification equipment, portable toilets, and other resources for protesters who wish to use it."
