At a press conference at Occupy Chicago’s headquarters, representatives from various groups outlined what they plan to do during the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Chicago on May 20-21. They also addressed how Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the city, along with the Secret Service, have not fully respected the First Amendment rights of people planning demonstrations.

Heads of states and heads of governments from the member countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are scheduled to be in Chicago for a major summit. The summit is the first NATO summit to be hosted in an American city other than Washington, DC. It has already received attention because “dignitaries” attending will be deliberating over what to do next to effectively wind down the war in Afghanistan, which will likely involve some kind of long term troop occupation even if some US and coalition forces are withdrawn.

Protesters in Chicago have spent many months planning demonstrations and events to call attention to what they call the “war and poverty agenda” of NATO.

To protect Bank of America from inconvenience, Charlotte, North Carolina has directed its police officers to harass and arrest protesters.

Occupy may not have reached “critical mass” yet. It may not be that movement that can force the White House and Congress to change “national policy on matters of war and social justice.” But, if energy and resources are put into running candidates, it’s virtually certain there will be little chance of growing a movement and building a force that can tug this nation in a less corporate and destructive direction.

All day, Firedoglake has been posting updates on the Occupy movement’s May Day actions. The actions continue to unfold, even on the East coast as a massive Occupy Wall Street march gathers near Wall Street and faces off with police, who may arrest them for “rallying” because they do not have a permit to do that. They had a permit for a march.

Firedoglake is continues liveblogging all the May Day actions involving the Occupy movement. Check for updates from around the country.

May Day has traditionally been known as a day of mass workers’ strikes – otherwise known as the General Strike. But in an economy where, by some estimates, the unemployment rate hovers at close to 13%, and many Americans are precariously underemployed, how will the Occupy movement redefine what a General Strike looks like? Dustin M. Slaughter and I will be taking turns live blogging May Day.

Twenty-eight protesters were preemptively arrested in DeWitt, New York as they tried to reach Hancock Air Force Base for a demonstration outside the gates against the us of drones. The protesters were charged with “failing to obtain a town permit,” according to the Post-Standard.

As the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Chicago nears, the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and activists are urging the United States Secret Service make public their security plan for McCormick Place, where the summit is to be held, by Monday, April 23. The ACLU maintains specific details on the security perimeter must be released so that the community can decide if the Secret Service will be violating the First Amendment rights of people, who intend to demonstrate at the summit.

Protesters from Occupy Wall Street and attorneys from civil and human rights groups filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request for information on the policies the New York Police Department (NYPD) is using and has used to control and handle Occupy demonstrations since the movement grew in Zuccotti Park last September.