Nurses Condemn Chicago Mayor Emanuel for Arrest Of Nurses, Medical Volunteers at Occupy Chicago

[Better Believe It]

Press Release

Nurses Condemn Chicago Mayor Emanuel for Arrest Of Nurses, Medical Volunteers at Occupy Chicago
For Immediate Release
October 23, 2011

RNs to Picket Mayor’s Office Monday Morning at 10 am

Registered nurses from across the U.S. today condemned Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel for his decision to arrest nurse volunteers, as well as peaceful protesters, in a late night crackdown Saturday night at the Occupy Chicago protest.

NNU is asking supporters to call Mayor Emanuel’s office at 312-744-5000 and demand they immediately drop all charges against the nurses and other protesters, and stop the harassment and arrests of the nurses and others peacefully exercising their free speech rights. Nurses will also picket the mayor’s office at 10 a.m. Monday morning, at City Hall at the LaSalle entrance.

Nurse leaders of National Nurses United who set up a nurses’ station to provide basic first aid to Chicago protesters – as NNU has done peacefully in five other cities across the U.S. – were among the some 130 people arrested by Chicago police. The police also tore down the first aid station, and arrested scores of others who had peacefully assembled to support the station.

“Even in wartime, combatants respect the work of nurses and other first responders. Yet Mayor Emanuel and Chicago seem to care as little about that tradition as they do in protecting the constitutional rights of free speech and assembly.” said NNU Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro. “These arrests are disgraceful and unconscionable, and will not deter our nurses from continuing this mission, setting up the station again, and continuing to support the protests.”

Emanuel has been perhaps the most aggressive mayor in the nation in repression of the occupy Wall Street movement with mass arrests on at least two occasions now. The Chicago Tribune Saturday reported that city officials are trying to send a message to world leaders of being “tough” on demonstrators in advance of upcoming meetings of G-8 and NATO leaders in May.

“Instead of showing off for world leaders, and paying allegiance to protecting the economic interests of the top 1 percent, Mayor Emanuel should stop, and start representing the 99 percent, the people for whom the occupy movement has become a clear voice,” DeMoro said.

NNU also has first aid stations now established at occupy protests in New York’s Zuccotti Park, site of the first Occupy Wall Street protests, Los Angeles, Washington, San Francisco, and Detroit, and will be opening up others in coming days.



NNU first aid station in Chicago just before the arrests Saturday night

http://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/entry/nurses-condemn-chicago-mayor-emanuel-for-arrest-of-nurses-medical-voluntee/


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Mayor Rahm Emanuel performs a delicate "balancing act" between free speech/assembly and the denial of civil liberties by arresting protesters excercising their first amendment rights. BBI



No Plans to Drop Occupy Protest Charges: City Hall
Two nurses providing first aid to protestors were arrested, says nurses union
By Ivanna Hampton and Alise Blunk
October 24, 2011

"We were providing basic first aid care in Grant Park Saturday night," said Jan Rodolfo, registered nurse and national coordinator of National Nurses United. "Rahm took the tents denying protesters first responders free speech and free assembly." "First amendment rights don't stop at 11 p.m.," Rodolfo said.

But Mayor Rahm Emanuel said during a press conference he wanted to make sure the law was enforced.

"There's a balancing act," Emanuel said. "People have their first amendment right. It's protected and they're expressing their views. And I've expressed my understanding of those economic hardships while making sure the law is enforced."

But Martese Chism, a registered nurse arrested in Grant Park Saturday night, said protesters have the right to assemble. "They have the right to free speech," Chism said.

Read the full article at:

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Occupy-Chicago-to-Join-Nurses-in-City-Hall-Protest-132432498.html?rr=td

See the YouTube video on the arrests featuring National Nurses United leader Jan Rodolfo on Countdown with Keith Olbermann at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9mJkl8vfbvs#!

[NYC_SKP]

1. The 1% would love for us to become divided over characters like Rahm Emanuel.

Not buying it. He fucked up but I'm not going to be distracted.

Stay strong, OWS!

We've got shit to do in Oakland, Atlanta, Wall Street, YOUR street.

Don't let this shit distract you!

:patriot:

[Better Believe It]

3. The National Nurses Union has over 100,000 members. Arresting their leaders is a distraction????

What the hell is that suppose to mean?

Are the arrests and breakup of OWS protests in other cities just a distraction from .... what?

Seems to me such police actions are more a violation of our constitutional rights than anything else.

On a positive note .... I think Rahm Emanuel's arrest of nurses union leaders demonstrate that he also is a great "warrior for the working class" just like his former boss.

[teddy51]

2. But, but, but This is Obama's guy. WTH. n/t

[girl gone mad]

4. k & r

[Withywindle]

5. And just think

Those nurses, who volunteered their time to help people, have now spent more time in jail than any of the bankers and financiers who deliberately destroyed our economy.

[woo me with science]

6. K&R nt