300 cops on hand as
particpants blast
policies, burn flags
BY ABDON M. PALLASCH
Staff Reporter
More than 1,000 protesters
gath-
ered in the Federal Plaza in the
Loop Wednesday, calling for an
end to the Bush Administration.
They were surrounded
by more
than 300 blue-helmeted Chicago
Police officers, some on foot, oth-
ers on horseback, prompting some
protesters to complain about an
"overreaction."
"It seems like there
are more
police here than there are peo-
ple," said Leslie Staniszewski,
23,
of Chicago. "I don't know
what
they're expecting from a bunch of
pacifists. It's almost like they're
trying to provove something."
The protesters shouted
anti-
war and pro-choice slogans as
speakers stood on a podium and
railed against President Bush.
Some protesters burned
Ameri-
can flags, while others carried
signs including "Re-Defeat Bush,"
"Money for jobs and education,
not war and occupation," and
"Gay marrage is a civil right."
'Billionaires for Bush'
Comedian and radio
personal-
ity Aaron Freeman and fellow
performers dressed in costume to
become "Billionaires for Bush,"
holding signs such as "Wealth
Care Not Health Care" and call-
ing Bush "the finest president we
have ever owned -- he has been a
fabulous investment for us."
After an hour of speeches
and
cheering, they marched up Dear-
born Street surrounded by police,
who reported later in the day that
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Protesters burn
two American
flags during the
demonstration.
A Chicago
Police officer
later pours
water on the
fire, while
another officer
helps stomp it
out. Police said
the demonstra-
tion was other-
wise orderly and
that no arrests
were made.
-SCOTT STEWART/
SUN-TIMES
|
the event was orderly and that no
arrests had been made.
The event was coordinated |
with similar protests in other
cities.
Contributing:
Lisa Donovan |
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