In just three months, the NATO/G8 Summits will take place at Chicago’s McCormick Place.
As the political leaders from around the world prepare to gather for the diplomatic summits to discuss critical world issues ranging from the global economy to pressing security challenges, it’s important to note that this will be the first time ever that any American city other than Washington will be hosting the summits.
It is also the first time in more than 30 years that any city has hosted both gatherings simultaneWhile city officials view the event as a once in a life time opportunity, many groups are planning protests, which leads to speculation about what this monumental event will really mean for the city of Chicago and its residents.
Police forces and activist groups alike are preparing for the diplomatic summits that will occur in Chicago May 19-21. The Occupy Wall Street movement—among other political activist groups—intends to hold peaceful demonstrations in protest of the gathering.
“I guess it’s good they are making Chicago a center for international affairs,” said DePaul freshman Shannon Shreibak. “But I can see where it can cause a lot of unrest—especially with the Occupy movement going on, everyone’s really sensitive to political issues at the moment.”
The Chicago Police Department is preparing for the worst, it seems. Having spent nearly $3,000 on airtight facemasks, many people believe that this type of precaution is a telltale sign that the event may cause a great amount of unrest in the city, particularly in the downtown area, where the summits will occur.
“The fact that the police feel it’s necessary to spend so much on facemasks and extra training says to me that they are preparing for battle,” said DePaul student Todd Grover. “They aren’t interested in hearing what protesters have to say, only in silencing the crowd—using whatever means they feel is necessary. It’s kind of a scary thought.”
Area universities and businesses are taking safety measures for the dates of the summits, DePaul included. Early last week, students received an email from the office of student affairs noting that because of “traffic congestion and disruptions anticipated” DePaul’s Loop campus will shut down from May 18-21.
“DePaul will continue to work with the appropriate officials to monitor developments and take appropriate actions to facilitate smooth operations at our campuses,” said John Holden, a DePaul communication specialist from the Office of Public Relations and Communication. He also said that students should monitor the DePaul website, newsline.depaul.edu, for updates.
While the Loop campus will be affected most by the summits, it is uncertain if the Lincoln Park campus will face even a few minor disruptions to accommodate the closure of the Loop buildings. The university is confident that any necessary solutions will be met smoothly.
“Given that the Lincoln Park Campus is seven to eight miles from the conference site at McCormick Place, we are not anticipating any major disruptions to activities at the Lincoln Park Campus,” Holden said. “At this time, it is not yet certain how many Loop classes will be held at Lincoln Park or other campuses, but given DePaul’s sophisticated online teaching infrastructure, we anticipate many classes will be conducted online. DePaul administrators will continue to work with faculty to find optimal solutions to logistical concerns.”
Caryn Chaden, the associate vice president for academic affairs sent out an email to the faculty whose classes will be affected by the Loop campus closure, stating that the university recognizes “the challenge that this set of circumstances creates… but at the same time, we hope it also provides an opportunity for you to discuss the G-8 and NATO summits with your students, and to learn more about the online resources available to you.”
Regardless of whether or not their classes will be affected by the summits, students are preparing for the May events in all kinds of ways. The DePaul Anti-Capitalist Coalition is among the groups who will be protesting outside of McCormick Place.
Stacy Bear, an active member of the DePaul Anti-Capitalist Coalition said, “We plan to protest the upcoming NATO/G8 summits because these groups represent the wealthiest countries in the world and the military forces that they use to forcefully implement their economic policies. These economic policies, that may be argued to benefit poorer countries, actually end up oppressing them. They keep the rich countries rich and the poor countries poor. As the Anti-Capitalist Coalition, we can’t allow these forces who power global capitalism to come into our city to create more policies of the like.”
The group defines itself on their Facebook page as “a multi-issue political organization at DePaul which aims to address and confront the intersecting social struggles and inequalities of our society, explore alternatives to capitalism and corporate statism and create a more vibrant, proactive community of activists and social advocates at this university.”
Although the protest groups maintain that their demonstrations against the national gathering will be peaceful, it’s impossible to discern what the actuality of the situation will turn out to be.
“I have no idea how the protests will play out,” said Bear. “In the past, such as in Seattle in 1999, the protests have been extremely violent. But CANG8 (coalition against NATO G8) publicizes these actions as non-violent. I know that the groups that I will be marching with plans to stay peaceful, but there will be many foreigners coming in for these protests who may take the actions to a new level. Because the CPD has made such investments, I think that they’re just preparing for worst-case scenario. But hopefully the actions remain peaceful.”
Some believe that the protest can easily spiral out of hand.
“Utter chaos. That’s what I expect to see,” said Chicago resident Rose Giroux. “You have the protesters, who are filled with emotion and ready to vehemently disagree; and then you have the police, who I’m assuming will show just as little restraint as they have in the past. It’s going to be a mess, and I want to stay as far away from it as I can.”
Last week, four Chicago aldermen introduced an ordinance, which would ban spectators at City Council meetings from engaging in vocal demonstration of approval or disapproval at meetings. Banned behavior would include “cheering, yelling, clapping, foot stomping whistling, booing or jeering,” as reported by the Chicago News Cooperative.
Additionally, this proposal would ban attendees from carrying signs, banners and posters unless first approved by the Mayor or presiding alderman. Many wonder whether these measures are any indication as to how protesters will be handled at the summits.
It’s hard to predict what will actually occur during Chicago’s hosting of the G8/NATO summits, but the way that events are organizing themselves at the moment, it’s a good bet that the summits will be eventful, to say the least.
Grover said, “This sort of thing doesn’t happen every day. It’s important to be a part of it, to stand up for what you believe in and defend your rights as an American.”