Occupy Chicago
| Occupy Chicago | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Occupy movement | |
Occupy Chicago
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| Date | September 23, 2011 – February 1, 2013 |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Caused by | Economic inequality, corporate influence over government, inter alia. |
| Methods | Demonstration, occupation, protest, street protesters |
| Arrests and injuries | |
| Injuries | Unrecorded |
| Arrested | 352+ |
Occupy Chicago was an ongoing collaboration that has included peaceful protests and demonstrations against economic inequality, corporate greed and the influence of corporations and lobbyists on government which has been taking place in Chicago since September 24, 2011. The protests began in solidarity with the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York.
On October 10, protesters from Occupy Chicago joined with members of the "Stand Up Chicago" coalition and marched through downtown Chicago, with numbers estimated at around 3,000.
Occupy Chicago had been consistently occupying the corners of Jackson and LaSalle in Chicago's financial district. Occupy Chicago was unique among the major occupations across the country in that it lacked a permanent encampment. Protesters remained outdoors, exposed to the elements 24 hours a day. Due to city ordinances, protesters were told that all supplies had to be technically "mobile." Protesters complied with the city by containing all of the occupation's supplies (including signs, food, and clothing) in carts on the sidewalk. It also has created a more fluid atmosphere at Occupy Chicago with individual protesters fluctuating in and out.
Occupy Chicago was also unique in that unlike Occupy Wall Street it is positioned directly in front of major financial centers, including the Board of Trade, Bank of America, and the Federal Reserve Building. This proximity has resulted in the curious sight of traders watching the protesters while outside on breaks. It has also resulted in taunts from workers in the Board of Trade. On October 4, 2011 a sign was visible in the windows of the Board of Trade that read, "WE ARE THE 1%." The sign was quickly taken down.
In late 2011 Occupy Chicago was able to recruit massive crowds of people to embark on protest marches throughout Chicago because its politics were still very inclusive with primarily "left" liberal minded people and communists, socialists, anarchists but also a fair share of libertarians and even a few who identified as conservative. Over time as the political direction of the group developed many of the more moderate individuals left and a more radical political stance became dominant within the movement. In 2011, Occupy Chicago was the foundation for the Occupy High School campaign.
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