Chicago Mayor Emanuel wants to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on new policy shields because his police chief has an irrational fear that demonstrators at the G8/NATO summits plan to throw feces and urine at police. There is no evidence to support this fear or any reported incidents it ever happened. In fact, demonstrators even adopted pacts to assure police it was a fantasy.

You wouldn’t think handling a notebook or a camera could be a hazardous line of work. But according to the latest global Press Freedom Index, abuse and oppression of reporters has made journalism an increasingly risky job in many countries. The past year has even left a notable taint on the U.S. press, despite the country’s mythos as a beacon of free expression.

A contracting firm that specializes in anti-terrorism and force protection training, consulting and management services has been hired to train Cook County Sheriff’s Police in the run-up to the NATO-G8 meetings that are to be held in Chicago in May of this year.

Over 300 people were arrested in Oakland after police ordered a march of Occupy Oakland protesters to “submit” to an arrest because they were engaged in an unlawful assembly. Hundreds were detained outside of a YMCA. In zip cuffs, many waited for hours to be escorted to a police vehicle and hauled away.

The selling and marketing of upcoming G8 and NATO meetings has fully commenced. The slogan has been unveiled for the meetings: “The Global Crossroads.” The meetings will be all about taking the “global stage.” But, as the host committee for the meetings and business organizations, which plan to promote the event, try to convince media to focus on the “benefits,” tens of thousands of people are expected to come to Chicago to protest the meetings that will take place May 19-21.

To help folks separate spin from fact, we’ve put together this analysis to help you understand how local rules have changed in ways that undercut protest and political speech. While these revisions will not deter us from speaking out and protesting, they do change the excuses the police may use to try to prevent us from protesting.

It’s also important that we understand these changes so we can educate our friends and neighbors – and fight for meaningful change that puts people’s rights and the greater good ahead of the fear-mongering and greed that drove Mayor 1%’s push for these changes.

I am at Occupy Pittsburgh on my Great Lakes Occupy tour, and I am headed to Occupy Erie this afternoon.

The city of Chicago has finally awarded a permit to Chicago groups seeking to organize a demonstration during an upcoming NATO/G8 meeting, but the city now claims the parameters of the permit awarded depend on the federal government.

Joe Iosbaker, lead organizer of the NATO/G8 Working Group in Chicago, reports the permit process will be scrutinized by the Secret Service. They may allow a protest in the location and a march on the route approved by the city or they may not. It all depends on the “security perimeter” that is set around McCormick Place, the convention center where the meetings are to be held from May 15 to May 22. And, it also depends on the “security perimeter” set around the five major hotels up and down Michigan Avenue where heads of state and other officials are expected to be staying.

Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), continues to relentlessly pound away at the Obama Administration and the National Park Service for allowing Occupy DC to hold a 24/7 protest in McPherson Square for the past months.

DC residents should ask the city and police what kind of crime and safety problems have actually arisen since the group began camping. DC residents should ask if there should be as many police on patrol as there typically are. And, DC residents should ask if the city can cut back on the number of officers so officers can get back to patrolling neighborhoods where their presence is actually needed.