The striking Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) are conducting various demonstration activity in the Central Business District on Monday, October 28, which also coincides with a Presidential visit expected to draw protest activity and road closures. Cermak will be closed to all vehicular traffic intermittently on Monday between Indiana and Prairie due to the arrival of POTUS.
The following CTU activity is expected:
- 9:30 am Youth led march from 719 S. State to City Hall followed by a sit-in
- 10:45 am: Gathering at Michigan and Adams followed by a march to Wacker and Wabash for an 11:30 am arrival and protest.
- 11:30 am Protest at Wacker and Wabash
- 5:00 pm: Additional groups meeting at Wacker and Wabash
An additional protest with a non-specific time is expected at Trump Tower due to the CTU Website posting, that President Trump will be in town and if any members were inclined to show up outside his fundraiser wearing red, it would qualify as productive.
Continued activity should be expected around City Hall, the Thompson Center, Trump Tower and numerous other locations in the downtown area. Street closures should be expected.
Consider the following when preparing for civil unrest or protest activity:
- Set, review and practice emergency lockdown procedures
- If a demonstration forms outside your building be prepared to quickly lockdown the building, only allowing access to tenants
- Establish a system or process to notify tenants of protest or building lockdown activity
- Program your access control system to lock all exterior doors upon demand
- Practice lockdown procedures including securing the perimeter with security officers or building staff and designating a point of ingress away from the demonstration for tenants to use
- Establish communication with local law enforcement
- If protests are violent or taking place on private property contact law enforcement immediately
- Maintain regular communication with law enforcement throughout the incident
- Remain peaceful and calm, do not provoke or become violent, attempt to defuse and resolve the situation
As always, if you “See Something, Say Something”. For life-threatening emergencies, call 911. To report suspicious activity, call 855-RPRT-2-S4 (855-777-8274).