Stand Up! Chicago: Thousands Rally Against Corporate Greed, 24 People Arrested (PHOTOS)

Several thousand people gathered downtown Tuesday, protesting bank bailouts and tax cuts for the wealthy and demanding jobs and funding for schools.

The rally was organized by "Stand Up! Chicago," which included the Chicago Teachers Union, the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, the Illinois Hunger Coalition and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

"Instead of investing in our community, instead of investing and creating jobs, they chose to pay their CFOs and CEOs over a billion dollars, and the folks that were out here today just don't think that's fair," Stand Up! Chicago Director E.J. Serrano told NBC Chicago.

Three separate marches snaked through the Loop, each led by a 12-foot-tall "corporate welfare king." The group converged at Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue, where some sat in the middle of the street during rush hour traffic.

The "sit-in" led to 24 arrests, according to NBC. A disabled woman in wheelchair was handcuffed by police for allegedly refusing to move from the street.

The loud group gathered in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce was holding their annual Chicago Executive Summit. About 80 corporate Chief Financial Officers from the Chicago area were expected to attend the summit.

Protesters held signs that read “Give Back Our Schools,” “Give Back Our Homes,” and “Give Back Our Jobs.” Rev. Jesse Jackson also spoke to the crowd.

Check out photos from the rally here, all by Ryan Lee Williams.

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Comments

[JohnBryansFontaine]

10:49 AM on 07/16/2011

The American Legislative Exchange Council: A Primer On The Premier Right-Wing Corporate Lawmaking Shop

http://politicalcorrection.org/factcheck/201104280008

[JohnBryansFontaine]

10:43 AM on 07/16/2011

American Legislative Exchange Council ( ALEC ) Exposed

Through ALEC, Global Corporations Are Scheming to Rewrite YOUR Rights and Boost THEIR Revenue

http://alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed

American Legislative Exchange Council

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/american-legislative-exchange

[Tom Hendricks]

12:08 PM on 06/20/2011

There is a solution to the jobs problem and it could quickly put hundreds of thousands of people back to work. It is not pro left or right. It is not from any corporation, it's outside the government control, it's totally voluntary, and helps all with little sacrifice from anyone.

National Hiring Day #4 is suggested for July, 2011. This is a day that corporations are encouraged to hire new employees. Corporations are called on to put patriotism first and help their country in hard times. Those corporations that cannot hire, are asked to stop firing for that month. The day was suggested by the 18 year old Dallas art and media zine Musea.

[Tom Hendricks]

12:07 PM on 06/20/2011

The paradigm is changing - it used to be conservative versus liberal - now more and more its corporations versus democracy.

[Saidas]

11:22 AM on 06/20/2011

We need our "Arab Spring" and nothing will change until we do.

[Adam Vant]

10:13 AM on 06/20/2011

Bunch of entitled leeches rally against us who work hard and pay taxes so the entitled leeches can leech off us some more.

[Max Load]

12:14 PM on 06/20/2011

Really? Your generalization stinks on ice.

My brother was born with cerebral palsy. He was finally able to go to work, with the local police department, when he was 25, because of a "job subsidy".

He worked reviewing pawn tickets, and was responsible for the apprehension of at least two burglars. He paid taxes out of his paycheck, just like those with no subsidy.

According to you, he would have been an "entitled leech", because he received subsidies due to a disability.

But I would wager that in his short life he had more positive effects on the people he met than any dozen or more carbon sinks like yourself.

[Saidas]

01:18 PM on 06/20/2011

You will live to eat your words when you become one of those "leeches" in just a few short years.

[Patrick1234]

09:23 AM on 06/20/2011

We should tax corporations according to how many jobs they provide, not according to how many people they replace with machines. Our values are exactly backwards. go to employamericans.info to learn what you can do to help the unemployed.

[casperorchids]

09:08 AM on 06/20/2011

Wow, I've been following the news, cnn, fox, msnbc everyday and didn't even hear one word about this. Not saying none of them covered it, but had they, it must have been in passing, and passing quickly. I follow hundreds on you tube and didn't see anything about it there either. Must be some things without any coverage seem to stay that way. I hear there are going to be nationwide protests on the 4th of July, stand tall everybody. Come together as One!!!

[Steve Crosson]

03:30 AM on 06/20/2011

aloha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yes...stand up...stand up! it's about time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! steve

[hen81]

10:50 PM on 06/19/2011

Unemployed But Not Destroyed - Book Released By Book Express

Unemployed But Not Destroyed is released by Book Express Publishing. This is a view of what being unemployed and finding a new job is like in this unique economic climate.

http://www.prlog.org/11545854-unemployed-but-not-destroyed-book-released-by-book-express.html

[mysara]

07:48 PM on 06/19/2011

What is that bible thing let who ever is without greed cast the first benz payment book

[psnyder325]

07:46 PM on 06/19/2011

I hate to say this, but until there is rioting in the streets (which is NOT something I am advocating!) there will not be any change. The bankers control both the Dempublicans and the Republocrats. Throughout history, the only force that has been strong enough to counteract the force of money on the rulers of a people has been revolution or the threat of revolution. Look at the Civil Rights Movement. Nothing much happened until the riots. As terrible as the riots were, if it were not for them, it is quite possible Title VII would not have passed and Blacks, women, Hispanics and others would be subject to even MORE discrimination than they already face. If our "leaders" (haha) don't want to see the people who have lost their jobs rioting in the streets, they need to make changes. But they're not listening.

[MiddleMolly]

08:52 AM on 06/20/2011

I'm not sure about riots, but I do think that we need thousands of people in the streets of all of our big cities fairly constantly to effect any change.

[1Truthseeker]

06:21 PM on 06/19/2011

Time to tweet: Stand UP America!

[Mandles99]

06:20 PM on 06/19/2011

This is very encouraging to see. Outside of protesting, I think we also need to boycott huge banks and put our money into local banks.

[psnyder325]

07:47 PM on 06/19/2011

I used to do this. But I am in Colorado and all of the local banks got gobbled up by the corporate ones. I have no choice.

[chrissf4529]

01:41 PM on 06/19/2011

Ok,since it is Chicago lets use this scenario/Oprah needs to have her salary cut she makes 100's of millions a year. All of the sports personalities,yup, way to much money. Lots of athletes make more than team owners. Gosh,lets go after tiger Woods,66 mill last year with endorsements. Phil also made 60 mill. People you can't have it both ways. America stands for "have a better idea" make money. Ceo's salries are controlled by share holders and boards. Generally paid for performance. While i have seen great excess,I have seen great performance and leadership from various ceo's. lets talk about salaries of union officials,and "school superintendents?If you go after one group for salaries, you have to include ALL "overpaid" (or what others consider over paid) proffessions.

[Tiger1242]

05:40 PM on 06/19/2011

Guess you don't understand the difference between someone legitimately making money and those running off with our hard earned tax dollars when corporate America is bailed on our backs but keep all their profits?

[Alfredo Battaglia]

08:11 PM on 06/20/2011

We can thank our Federal gov't for 'donating' our tax dollars to those "too big to fail" companies who were following orders from their Federal masters, and they, in turn, were following the directions of the 8 Great Money Barons that control the money and the banks that hold it.

[MiddleMolly]

08:53 AM on 06/20/2011

Union officials make small change compared to the mega CEO's. Most school superintendents do as well.