Thousands of protesters clash with police in Chicago: Chaos in the Windy City as 45 activists arrested and one cop stabbed after demonstrators target NATO
Thousands of demonstrators
upset with the war in Afghanistan, climate change and the erosion of
union rights have raised the intensity of a march in downtown Chicago
on Sunday as world leaders assembled for a NATO summit.
The protest, one of the city's largest in years, turned violent at the end of an anti-NATO march, where demonstrators confronted Chicago police, pushing against a line of officers several blocks from the lakefront convention center where President Obama hosted a gathering of world leaders.
Authorities were seen making arrests one by one and leading individual demonstrators away in handcuffs.
After a clash near McCormick Place, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said at a news conference that the protests resulted in 45 people being arrested and four officers suffering injuries - one from a stab wound in the leg.
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The protest, one of the city's largest in years, turned violent at the end of an anti-NATO march, where demonstrators confronted Chicago police, pushing against a line of officers several blocks from the lakefront convention center where President Obama hosted a gathering of world leaders.
Authorities were seen making arrests one by one and leading individual demonstrators away in handcuffs.
After a clash near McCormick Place, Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said at a news conference that the protests resulted in 45 people being arrested and four officers suffering injuries - one from a stab wound in the leg.
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Clash: Demonstrators try to flee the police as they are move in on them during protests against the NATO Summit in Chicago
Holding the line: Police clash with demonstrators protesting the NATO Summit in Chicago
Take down: A protester is detained by police after a march and rally against this weekend's NATO summit turned violent in Chicago
Those numbers seemed certain to rise as new clashes erupted later in the night. The protesters tried to move east toward McCormick Place and threw objects at police.
After more than an hour, the two sides were still locked in a standoff, with police blocking the protesters' path and the crowd refusing to leave.
MyFoxChicago.com reported that most of the trouble centered around protesters dressed in black, who threw bottles, sticks and paint at police, among other objects. Some protesters appeared to have blood streaming down their faces. Authorities were seen carrying a few people away from the scene.
Take down: A protester is detained by police after a march and rally against this weekend's NATO summit turned violent in Chicago
Those numbers seemed certain to rise as new clashes erupted later in the night. The protesters tried to move east toward McCormick Place and threw objects at police.
After more than an hour, the two sides were still locked in a standoff, with police blocking the protesters' path and the crowd refusing to leave.
MyFoxChicago.com reported that most of the trouble centered around protesters dressed in black, who threw bottles, sticks and paint at police, among other objects. Some protesters appeared to have blood streaming down their faces. Authorities were seen carrying a few people away from the scene.
Getting physical: Demonstrators try to stop a Chicago police officer
from detaining an activist as anti-NATO protests turned violent on
Sunday.Some officers responded by swinging their batons. Several speakers, including the Rev. Jesse Jackson, asked protesters to peacefully disperse.
The confrontation comes at the end of a march nearly three-hour protest march that was largely peaceful.
Authorities were seen making arrests one by one and leading individual demonstrators away in handcuffs.
Out in force: Baton-swinging police officers clashed with anti-war protesters at the start of the NATO summit on Sunday, beating some and dragging others away
Mass movement: Demonstrators flow out of Grant Park in Chicago on the opening day of the Nato summit
Pleas: Several speakers, including the Rev Jesse Jackson, centre, had asked protesters to peacefully disperseBut some participants wondered whether the protest agenda was too unfocused to get the diplomats' attention.
'It seems like there's so many messages and people aren't really sure what they want to get accomplished,' Ms Westlake said.
'People just need to figure out what their argument is going to be.' She worried that some protesters participated simply 'to do stupid things' and cause trouble. Read more>>
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