Tomorrow kicks off a crucial six-day visit for Chicago. International Olympic Committee evaluators arrive to size up everything promised in Chicago’s 2016 bid book and determine if the Windy City should be awarded the summer games instead of Rio, Madrid or Tokyo. Evaluators are likely to run into a number of unhappy protesters.
A coalition of community and labor groups plan to stage a protest. The activists want the city to guarantee community jobs, minority contracts and affordable housing. They are upset that a formal agreement hasn’t been approved by Team 2016 before tomorrow’s big visit.
The Chicago Police Union is expected to stage an informational picket – likely at City Hall - to protest the progress of contract negotiations.
The group, No Games Chicago is hoping to draw some 2,000 protesters to a rally at Federal Plaza. They say they want to show the IOC that the people of Chicago do not want the Olympics - while highlighting what the group calls the city’s “mixed-up” priorities. While everyone has the right to demonstrate, do you think this is the right time for these groups to make their displeasure with the proposed Chicago Olympics known?
