Free the Jena 6 March and Rally in Chicago
A march and rally in support of freeing the Jena 6 was held in Chicago today (September 9, 2007). Read more about the Jena 6 here, here, here, here, and here. Organized by Tenisha Wilkerson, the 20-year-old coordinator of the Midwest Committee for the Jena 6, the march started just after 11:30AM. The route of the march was starting from the NBC 5 tv station on Michigan Ave., past the ABC 7 tv station, and ending at Daley Plaza. A small group of demonstrators initially started a little further down, at the NBC 5 Building on Columbus Dr.
Our smaller group then marched over to Michigan Ave., where the march proper was organizing to take place in front of the NBC 5 News Studio and the Tribune Tower. A much larger group was already gathered there.
Shortly after grouping there, a security guard came out to ask us if we had a permit to be there and if not that it was private property and we had to move to the sidewalk. I basically asked him why was he only telling us that we had to move to the sidewalk, when there were numerous groups of other people standing around, taking pictures, etc. He basically said that because we were organized - and I then told him something to the effect that he was discriminating against us because we were organized but not telling anyone else that they had to leave, and he then just started talking on his walkie talkie and ran off into the building. In any case, shortly thereafter we began to march. People were holding signs that read “Free the Jena 6″ and “No Justice, No Peace”, as well as shouting those words as we marched. I didn’t take any pictures during the march to Daley Plaza, as I was holding a big “No Justice, No Peace” sign and participating in the march. A number of other photographers were taking pictures of the march though. And as we got moving, some Chicago Police on bikes started riding next to us, not harassing us at all, but just to kind of escort us and let us march across various streets and intersections on the way to Daley Plaza. I must say that except for that initial security guard, I did not witness any harassment or problems from the police at all.
Once we reached Daley Plaza, the demonstrators gathered behind the world-famous Picasso sculpture, then marched around it for a while, displaying the signs and calling out “Free the Jena 6.”
After marching for a bit, we then gathered in front of the Picasso for the rally. Tenisha Wilkerson spoke first, giving some background about the Jean 6 and talking about how she got involved.
(Yes, I know I got a shitty background for this photo - I’m still getting the hang of participating in demonstrations and taking pictures at the same time 
- plus I’m taking the photos with a cellphone.)
After Tenisha spoke, a few other people came up to speak about the Jean 6, or how they came to know about them and be involved with the rally, including myself. Obviously I didn’t take any pictures of myself as I was speaking… But I said a few words about the criminal “justice” and prison system in this country.
According to one comrade at the rally, he counted about 100 people there, though it seemed like more than that to me. Many college students were present, from such colleges as DePaul, Northeastern Illinois University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Harold Washington College, College of Lake County (me!), Stanford, and Perdue, also a group from an Ohio college that I don’t recall the name of. There were also just regular folks from all over, including a couple of ladies who came all the way from Columbus, Ohio, and a group from Urbana-Champaign, IL. All came to support the Jena 6. Mychal Bell is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20th, 2007, and he faces up to 15 years in prison. More protests are planned leading up to and on the day of his sentencing.
UPDATE 9.14.2007: Mychal Bell’s conviction was overturned today! Read more here and here.
