Seven people were arrested after climbing Trump Tower in Chicago and unfurling a banner Friday afternoon, police said. Natalie Martinez reports.
Seven people were arrested after climbing Trump Tower in Chicago and unfurling a "Resist" banner Friday afternoon, police said.
Charges were pending against five women and two men whose ages were not immediately known, according to Chicago police. Police said possible charges were damage to property and trespassing. Environmnetal NGO Greenpeace, who claimed responsibility for the stunt, says that only four of its activists hung the sign.
The yellow, black and white banner could be seen shortly after 2 p.m. hanging over the river from the building at 401 N. Wabash Ave. It read “Resist,” “Defend” and “Greenpeace” over an image of Earth. It was cut down by authorities and fell into the river shortly after it was raised.
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"Given that the banner was picked up by the wind and caused some property damage, it could have been a large public safety hazard," said Anthony Guglielmi, a spokesman for the Chicago Police Department.
Greenpeace’s Twitter and Facebook accounts posted livestreams of the unfurling Friday afternoon.
At one point during the livestream a Chicago architectural boat tour passes by the tower as the guide describes the surrounding buildings.
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Dario Parra, a Greenpeace spokesman, said in a statement after the unfurling that he grew up in Chicago in a community like the those he says are most adversely impacted by Trump administration policies.
“It’s only a few months into Trump’s presidency, yet already he’s managed to threaten our health and our communities and put our planet’s future in danger," he said.
Taylor Blevons was one of the activists who helped unfurl the banner, according to the Greenpeace statement. It is unclear if he was one of the seven arrested.
“This action demonstrates that we will not accept the threats that the Trump administration poses to people here and around the world," he said. "Ignoring the science of climate change and removing us from the Paris Climate Agreement is just another indication that the billionaires who have hijacked our democracy are putting the short term profit of corporations over people and the planet."
President Donald Trump said last month the U.S. would no longer be a part of the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement with 196 countries, claiming the non-binding agreement imposed unfair standards on American businesses and workers.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel signed an executive order formalizing Chicago's commitment to adopt the guidelines of the agreement on environmental protections shortly after the president's decision.
Guglielmi said there would be an increased police presence near the tower after the incident.
Trump Tower officials did not immediately respond to request for comment.
