Chicago protesters break away from nurses' rally

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By RYAN J. FOLEY and NOMAAN MERCHANT

CHICAGO (AP) - Hundreds of protesters broke away from a large rally and began marching through Chicago streets Friday, taunting police and shouting about everything from bank bailouts to nuclear power - a prelude to even bigger demonstrations expected after the start of a NATO summit.

Police said there was one arrest for aggravated battery of a police officer. Officers were also seen trying to arrest a man who scaled a bridge tower and pulled down part of a NATO banner. Earlier, police handcuffed a man at the end of a noisy but largely peaceful rally organized by the nation's largest nurses union.

Members of National Nurses United were joined by members of the Occupy movement, unions and veterans at the rally, where they demanded a "Robin Hood" tax on banks' financial transactions. The event drew several thousand people and featured a performance by former Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, an activist who has played at many Occupy events.

Deb Holmes, a nurse at a hospital in Worcester, Mass., said she was advocating for the tax but also protesting proposals to cut back nurses' pensions.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20120518/D9URDGLO0.html

---

Protesters block traffic on Michigan Ave., as they march through the city during a demonstration Friday, May 18, 2012, ahead of this weekends' NATO summit in Chicago. Thousands of nurses and other protesters gathered for the noisy but largely peaceful demonstration with a broad spectrum of causes, from anti-war activists to Occupy protesters to a Chicago Women’s AIDS project. The demonstrations Friday were the largest yet ahead of a two-day NATO summit that is expected to draw even larger protests. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

[SleeplessinSoCal]

1. And how is this helpful?

[Bjorn Against]

2. Many people asked the same question of the civil rights movement, woman's suffrage movement...

They asked it of the union movement, the anti-war movement, the gay rights movement, any movement that has challenged the status quo has been asked that question. If you look at history you will see the answer.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. +1

[SleeplessinSoCal]

9. It's not helpful. Time to move to the next phase.

[cheapdate]

5. How is it helpful to stand and be heard?

Seriously? You're asking how it's helpful for an association of nurses, unions, veterans, and others to demonstrate for change?

[Bjorn Against]

3. My bus to Chicago leaves Minneapolis in just over two hours from now.

I look forward to standing in solidarity with all those who are going to be in Chicago to speak out for economic justice and an end to war.

[Peregrine Took]

4. See you at the anti war march on Sunday! n/t

[2pooped2pop]

6. me too!

see you Sunday

[midnight]

8. “The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves.” Vladimir Ilyich Lenin