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NATO/G8/G20. Chicago.

NM Black Cross Medic

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Squats tend to become too hot for stashing in my experience with these protests, it's better to leave the pack with some low key hosts. Come in early, before the police really start itching for something to do, like scouring the bus/train stations. This will be interesting to see what an obama-style police state will be like and if it'll be worse then his predecessor. Learn street medicking if you have to chance, even if you're not planning on being one, since we have a historically high turnover, and I'm retired after doing it for over ten years.
Definitely get some medic skills, at least learn how to eyewash and carry injured comrades. The Burque Black Cross medic team (homage to portland's black cross health collective) is fairly set on being on the front lines full time. If you plan to be anywhere near the frontlines, bring a gas mask, a helmet, and a life-jacket (floating foam will cushion beanbag rounds like nobody's business).
 

JoelRailDude

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I'm buying a gasmask helmet and bringing all my racing motorcyle gear kevlar padded and all....for protection ;)
I was planning on camping north of chicago, near a powerplant up there, the green line train goes up, so i can leave ALL the gear up there, and just bring down what I need + they got showers, cooking places etc, and I can drink by the beach/lake afterwards. However I' been in touch with a few people from couch surfing, might hit that option better.

all ready got my MegaBus ticket from Orlando, to Atlanta, To Memphis, to Chicago.
 
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so here in lovely cleveland we've been planning some things. the heart fest will be family oriented, music/ speakers/ food/ information/ clowns etc. this is an open invitation to our neighbors while traveling to stop here for a boost. if you plan on stopping in the area we have a local support network for those traveling from our locale and should network together logistically. everyone should be protected and have safe locations etc. we also have a nice location for absolute unlimited shelter to be provided for enjoyment of the heart fest.
 

NM Black Cross Medic

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I'm buying a gasmask helmet and bringing all my racing motorcyle gear kevlar padded and all....for protection ;)
I was planning on camping north of chicago, near a powerplant up there, the green line train goes up, so i can leave ALL the gear up there, and just bring down what I need + they got showers, cooking places etc, and I can drink by the beach/lake afterwards. However I' been in touch with a few people from couch surfing, might hit that option better.

all ready got my MegaBus ticket from Orlando, to Atlanta, To Memphis, to Chicago.
Thank you for telling us where you're gear will be.
Sincerely, the Feds.
 
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finn

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Um, for all you armored up gearheads, I'd like to remind you that you'll be on your feet a lot, in fact for most of the day- so carrying around a lot of shit is not necessarily going to help you. A backpack with stuff in it (including water bottles, don't get dehydrated) will shield your body against beanbag rounds, and unless you're really unlucky, those things will slide off your legs and arms. Now if you're being whaled on with nightsticks, a lifevest will help you until it gets torn off. Just remember that mobility is your friend here, it will help you a good deal. As for helmets, get bicycle helmets if you really want them, they are lightweight and pretty effective and wont burn your head up. Gas masks are really only for tear gas and to look militant, otherwise not too useful. In cases of tear gas, either way you'll want to get away from it and not linger in it, so unless it's like Quebec twelve years ago I have mixed feelings about it.
 

scatwomb

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Um, for all you armored up gearheads, I'd like to remind you that you'll be on your feet a lot, in fact for most of the day- so carrying around a lot of shit is not necessarily going to help you. A backpack with stuff in it (including water bottles, don't get dehydrated) will shield your body against beanbag rounds, and unless you're really unlucky, those things will slide off your legs and arms. Now if you're being whaled on with nightsticks, a lifevest will help you until it gets torn off. Just remember that mobility is your friend here, it will help you a good deal. As for helmets, get bicycle helmets if you really want them, they are lightweight and pretty effective and wont burn your head up. Gas masks are really only for tear gas and to look militant, otherwise not too useful. In cases of tear gas, either way you'll want to get away from it and not linger in it, so unless it's like Quebec twelve years ago I have mixed feelings about it.

Yeah, mobility really is your best friend. And, I know some people may disagree with me, but, the protests are not a war between the people and police - they are a theatrical display of power by the state and its citizenry. It's a good idea to be well protected, but, it's not a necessity. Being able to run-as-fast-as-you-can, however, may be a necessity.

I dunno though, if you're willing to physically resist police and are willing to get arrested (serious charge), protection may be a good idea.
 

JoelRailDude

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So.... aparently thanks to HR-347, Protesting any government function where officials are present, foreign representatives are present, the president is around, or any senator or HR, or secret service, or its considered a national security event, or Homeland Security is under control, Or Entering a Building without authorization (And Building can be A building, facility, park, arena, museum, ROAD, city, office, etc etc etc. anything) is HIGHLY ILLEGAL and a Federal Crime. Even if you accidentally interrupt it, weather you know there is an event going on, or a person of high standing around the area.

http://rt.com/usa/news/348-act-tresspass-buildings-437/

Its not stopping me yet.
 
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finn

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Also let me add, the footwear that you bring should already be BROKEN IN, none of that new boots/shoes nonsense. As much as I like checking out injuries, treating blistered feet make me want to cry. You will not get much sympathies from any street medic unless they are crushing on you.
 
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NM Black Cross Medic

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Also let me add, the footwear that you bring should already be BROKEN IN, none of that new boots/shoes nonsense. As much as I like checking out injuries, treating blistered feet make me want to cry. You will not get much sympathies from any street medic unless they are crushing on you.
Yeah, we're going to have much worse shit to deal with than blisters. Bring moleskin pads and make sure your shoes are comfortable.
 
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japanarchist

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So.... aparently thanks to HR-347, Protesting any government function where officials are present, foreign representatives are present, the president is around, or any senator or HR, or secret service, or its considered a national security event, or Homeland Security is under control, Or Entering a Building without authorization (And Building can be A building, facility, park, arena, museum, ROAD, city, office, etc etc etc. anything) is HIGHLY ILLEGAL and a Federal Crime. Even if you accidentally interrupt it, weather you know there is an event going on, or a person of high standing around the area.

http://rt.com/usa/news/348-act-tresspass-buildings-437/

Its not stopping me yet.
Another thing to take into consideration is that it's a class 1 felony to record a cop in Illinois.
 

NM Black Cross Medic

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Damn, looked into it and only in Illinois and Massachusetts its illegal to record cops. thats just gonna add yet another thing to tack on to protesters. Ah well, I'm still recording them regardless.
There will be so many cameras on them, they won't be able to arrest all of the filmers. Hidden cameras are your best friend, though. Just make sure you don't point them at protesters.
 

JoelRailDude

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I believe, that i read somewhere they where going to VOID that ordinance or law for the time beign because they said, so many cameras, will be good to "protect" the officers and to prove their actions where reasonable or neccesary, something among those lines....
 

CXR1037

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So not to rain on the parade (I'd normally just outright troll you all, but I'm all for protests), but what do you all plan on doing/accomplishing?

I think I always say this when there's some big protest...what are you going to actually get done? Waving a sign, shouting slogans, even throwing Molotov cocktails (in during government watchlist)...are any of these things going to change anything? With the amount of law and police against you all, I can't imagine there will be much going on.

I'm as anti-system as I've ever been but I really don't understand these big anarcho-meetup protests. They seem like social gatherings more than anything else. Correct me if I'm way off basis here, I'm going off of what my friends in the "hip scene" have said about these big demos.

I'd be more interested in seeing a discussion with a concrete plan for action. Not even direct action (in before "you're a cop!"), but just anything. Flyering local businesses, advertising and marketing it correctly.

cxR - crossing Chicago off my summer travel plans
 

JoelRailDude

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Well i guess the more people that are angry, the bigger the problem is, until the have to acknowledge it. Yeah, the actual fact of holding signs, chanting, and raising hell is not gona change anything. But then again we can't just let all the world most powerful people gather and have a party with champagne, caviar and god knows what, while there is massive poverty even in the city (chicaco) that they are gathering, children dying of starvation, war, etc. Our lives are fucked up, so we return the favor.

A lot of people would like to protest but they say, the fact itself is not gona do anything. the easiest way to give up your power is pretend you dont have any.

Also, me, personally, I'm not going to do ANYTHING or start anything, other than defend myself. The average joe who owns a coffee shop should not get his shop savaged and destroyed. The policeman himself is probably brainwashed, or facing loosing his job and family income if he doesnt comply and follows order, so they are on the hook too. I will not throw the first stone.
 

Fungus

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I believe that the G8 Summit is May 18-20 but Chicago will probably have a bunch of things going on from May Day leading up to the summit. I'll be there.

Basically everyone east of the Mississippi wanting to go should look into Megabus.com. A bus from Nashville to Chicago is $1...$2 roundtrip. Not all cities are direct to Chicago but tickets are cheap either way.


I've never used Megabus.com but damn if it doesn't sound like a miracle. Nashville to Chicago ($1.50). What other fees are there?
 

NM Black Cross Medic

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So not to rain on the parade (I'd normally just outright troll you all, but I'm all for protests), but what do you all plan on doing/accomplishing?

I think I always say this when there's some big protest...what are you going to actually get done? Waving a sign, shouting slogans, even throwing Molotov cocktails (in during government watchlist)...are any of these things going to change anything? With the amount of law and police against you all, I can't imagine there will be much going on.

I'm as anti-system as I've ever been but I really don't understand these big anarcho-meetup protests. They seem like social gatherings more than anything else. Correct me if I'm way off basis here, I'm going off of what my friends in the "hip scene" have said about these big demos.

I'd be more interested in seeing a discussion with a concrete plan for action. Not even direct action (in before "you're a cop!"), but just anything. Flyering local businesses, advertising and marketing it correctly.

cxR - crossing Chicago off my summer travel plans

#OWS is getting more radical. It's a powder keg waiting for a spark. G8 is going to be that spark. Even reformists will recognize that the U.S. government is exercising illegitimate authority. We're going to get the shit kicked out of us, and then it'll be our turn to control the streets. In Egypt it took a day of massive government repression to spark a full-scale revolt when people started throwing shit back and carrying shields. Be on the frontlines of that? not going to miss it.
 

NM Black Cross Medic

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Well i guess the more people that are angry, the bigger the problem is, until the have to acknowledge it. Yeah, the actual fact of holding signs, chanting, and raising hell is not gona change anything. But then again we can't just let all the world most powerful people gather and have a party with champagne, caviar and god knows what, while there is massive poverty even in the city (chicaco) that they are gathering, children dying of starvation, war, etc. Our lives are fucked up, so we return the favor.

A lot of people would like to protest but they say, the fact itself is not gona do anything. the easiest way to give up your power is pretend you dont have any.

Also, me, personally, I'm not going to do ANYTHING or start anything, other than defend myself. The average joe who owns a coffee shop should not get his shop savaged and destroyed. The policeman himself is probably brainwashed, or facing loosing his job and family income if he doesnt comply and follows order, so they are on the hook too. I will not throw the first stone.

If someone smashes someone's livelyhood (a single location coffee shop) consider them a cop. Starbucks is fair game in my book. Nobody would smash a local business to protest corporate dominance and capitalism. There are plenty of starbucks and mcdonalds to fuck up, so we'll probably see those be targeted.
 

Pixie Walden

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Ive been planning on going to this for a few weeks now, should be some awesome shit, only thing that bums me out about things like this, i love the marches and help as much as i can but when the cops start throwing tear gas i have to help on the side lines giving ppl vinegar and shit , i dont mind getting hit with tear gas, but i alwayyys have my dog with me and id feel like an asshole if he got hurt.
 
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