Kevin Gosztola

The worldwide leaders that came to the city of Chicago for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit have left Chicago. Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s moment of prestige and glory is over. Emanuel managed to pull off a summit with diplomats, heads of state, military generals and NATO officials. And the city made it through the summit without any incidents of storefronts being damaged by protesters or cars being set on fire—the kind of incidents that have occurred during other summits, which media and business leaders were certain would happen when they described the violence that could occur during the summit.

Two men were charged with terrorism-related charges on May 20, bringing the number of men who have been accused of planning “terrorism” against the NATO summit up to five people. The authorities claim their cases have no connection to the first three men, who were charged with plotting terrorism on May 19. However, attorneys for the men, who are the first to be charged with terrorism under Illinois state law, consider them to be connected because there were two individual infiltrators involved – “Mo” and “Gloves,” who helped the FBI, Secret Service and Chicago police ultimately make arrests of these people.

Under cover of the night around twelve police cars stopped five journalists when they were heading back to where they are staying in Chicago during the NATO summit. All five have been covering protests against the NATO summit for the past few days.

The five journalists included Luke Rudkowksi, who streams as @Lukewearechange, Tim Pool, who streams as @Timcast, Jeoff Shively (@Giraffa), Dustin & Jess. They are known for their work livestreaming and tweeting out regular coverage of Occupy protests.

Three Occupy activists raided on May 16 and disappeared for a period of time by Chicago police were brought before a bond judge this afternoon and officially charged with material support for terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism, and possession of explosives or explosive or incendiary devices. The State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez asked for bail to be set at $5 million for the three men who had come from out-of-state to protest the NATO summit. The judge set the bail at $1.5 million. Each of the charges are felony charges.

The case marks the first time that state prosecutors have used the Illinois Terrorism law to prosecute individuals.

The three activists that remained in jail have now been charged with “possession of incendiary or explosive device, conspiracy to commit terrorism & providing material support for terrorism,” according to the National Lawyers Guild attorney Sarah Gelsomino who is representing the activists arrested and disappeared in a night raid on Wednesday in Bridgeport, Chicago. (h/t @OccupyChicago)

Chicago police superintendent Garry McCarthy and the rest of the Chicago police department continue to refuse to publicly speak about a preemptive night raid against activists on May 17. The raid took place at an apartment where activists were staying in Bridgeport on the south side of Chicago. It happened just days before the scheduled NATO summit that begins on Sunday.

Five activists raided and arrested in an apartment in Bridgeport on the south side of Chicago continue to be held without charge. They were arrested during the night around 1 am on May 17, along with four other activists who have since been released, they were also held without charge.

Chicago police have reportedly engaged in a preemptive raid against activists that planned to protest the NATO summit. The raid is believed to have taken place late last night in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago.

Activists and journalists who brought a lawsuit against a Homeland Battlefield Act provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed in Congress and signed by President Barack Obama last December are celebrating this morning as a federal judge ruled yesterday that the provision likely violates the First and Fifth Amendments of the United States Constitution.

Many protesters have already traveled here. Hundreds are on buses headed to Chicago. Journalists and photographers are flying here to cover the summit. Security fencing made up of heavy metal has gone up around McCormick Place convention center where the summit will be held. The Field Museum will be closed. Wireless carriers have boosted their capacity for the summit. Chicago police will be on edge because they have to work long hours and, like Rahm Emanuel, they pretty much loathe activists. Here’s a roundup of recent events and stories.