Occupy Chicago Protests Continue Despite Saturday Arrests, Rahm Emanuel Responds (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
Although they faced more than 175 arrests during their Saturday evening occupation of the city's Grant Park, Occupy Chicago demonstrators have vowed to press on and resumed their protests Sunday.
On Monday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel addressed the weekend arrests and ongoing protests via his office's Facebook page. The update said that the Chicago Police Department "is communicating with protester reps so they understand what laws will be enforced and can avoid arrests" in an ongoing, daily conversation.
(Scroll down to view photos from the Grant Park campout.)
The update added that, on Saturday, police gave protesters multiple warnings that the park was considered closed as of 11 p.m.
"Police officers waited approximately 90 minutes after the park was officially closed. When remaining members made it clear they were not going to leave in accordance with the ordinance, arrests were made," Emanuel's statement read. "It is the obligation of police to enforce the law. Communications with protest organizers continue."
As ABC Chicago reports, Monday marks the one-month anniversary since Occupy Chicago demonstrators began their consistent demonstration outside the Federal Reserve Bank at Jackson and LaSalle. On Sunday, the same day protesters were arrested early in the morning in their attempt to set up tents and spend the night at Grant Park, many demonstrators returned to the streets.
MoveOn.org organizer Nancy Wade told ABC she is optimistic about the energy of the Occupy movement in Chicago in elsewhere. Elsewhere in Illinois, demonstrations spread to Peoria and Springfield on Saturday.
"We've been waiting for the young people to get as angry as we are. And as bad as what has happened, so can they succeed, can they all succeed? Yes, we can. We will," Wade told ABC.
Edward Goode, a retired minister protesting outside the Fed on Sunday told Fox Chicago he was participating in the demonstration because "it's sad to be a part of this country that has so much and gives so little to so many."
Acknowledging that some have criticized the 'Occupy' movement as not racially or ethnically diverse, Occupy Chicago organizers have initiated a new project targeting the city's largely minority South Side neighborhoods with canvassing: Occupy the 'Hood.
Kelvin Ho, an Occupy Chicago press committee leader, told the Associated Press they are looking into holding future town hall events in a number of different communities.
Occupy Chicago's mission statement, is that they are "here to fight corporate abuse of American democracy in solidarity with our brothers and sisters around the world."
View photos of the massive Occupy Chicago Sunday evening action in Grant Park:
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First Posted: 10/17/11 04:58 PM ET Updated: 12/17/11 05:12 AM ET