In one of the largest protests so far, 15,000 Chicagoans rallied, and then broke through police lines and took over the 8 lane major artery, The Outer Drive for two hours as they marched about 2 miles to Water Tower Place (where they were finally stopped by the police). At first protesters stayed only on the North lanes, which were shut down (to car traffic) by the police, but then they spilled over to the South lanes, passing between the stalled cars, handing out literature, buttons, stickers, etc. Many of the stalled cars had been stopped for over two hours, and yet, incrediably most, of the drivers shouted incouragement to the protesters, flashed V signs, thumbs up's, etc. (really amazing, if you think about it...being stopped in traffic for two hours, but wildly backing the protesters). It was simply amazing, and really beautiful. Thousands and thousands of protesters walking down the Outer Drive: the lake Michigan on one side, the skyline of the city on the other...and the cheering and honking of solidarity with the car traffic....
At Water Tower Place, the protesters made a mistake of going down Chicago Avenue, and being trapped by the police, who proceeded to arrest over 500 before letting the rest go. I and my family were among the lucky ones. While the impact of this protest will be perhaps limited (though it did get coverage on national tv/ images being juxaposed to the bombing of Baghdad), for those who were there; it was a once in a life-time experience. I went to the Washington DC Protest, to the New York City Protest, and the San Francisco Protest....But this was really, really special.
peace.