By LORRAINE SWANSON
Editor
Jonathan Clark (left) and Jason Hammond at Tuesday's anti-Olympics demonstration in front of City Hall Tuesday, before they were arrested later that evening for mob action after they allegedly set fire to an Chicago 2016 banner in Daley Plaza.
Members of a rag-tag brass band who showed up late with their instruments at a anti-Olympics demonstration in front of City Hall on Tuesday, were arrested later in the evening when they attempted to burn a 2016 Olympic banner that was being placed on the Picasso sculpture in Daley Plaza.
According to a story that appeared in Wednesday’s Chicago Sun-Times, the six anti-Olympics protestors were caught damaging the banner as it was being placed on the Picasso sculpture. Photographs taken by a Sun-Times photographer also show members of the group setting fire to materials and scuffling with police.
Charged with mob action and criminal damage to property are Jeremy Hammond, 24, address unknown; Jonathan Clark, 21, of Rockmount, S.C.; Jason Hammond, 24, of Glendale, Ill.; Anna Stafford, 20, of Wheatfield, Ind.; Jeremy Sorkin, 21, of the 2900 block of West Sherwin, Chicago; and Brian C. Brown, 22, of Itasca, Ill.
All but Brown were charged with resisting arrest of a peace officer.
Earlier in the evening, LEN chatted with members of the band, who said they were on their way to Toronto to play a gig. The group came equipped with a tuba, trombone and plastic bucket drums. By the time they showed up and warmed up on their instruments, the demonstration was practically over. The group played a few choruses on the sidewalk anyway.
One of the event organizers told LEN that the band was not part of the 14 organizations that helped organize the event and didn’t want the group’s music to detract from the protest’s anti-Olympic message.
As the demonstration disbanded, the band members were overheard arguing with event organizers that they weren’t properly notified of Tuesday’s demonstration’s 5:30 p.m. starting time. An event organizer from No Games Chicago argued back that “it was all over Facebook.”
Updated: Bond was set at $25,0000 for each of the six anti-Olympic demonstrators who were charged with felony mob action after they allegedly tried damaging an Olympic banner in Daley Plaza on Tuesday. If convicted, the crime, a Class 4 felony, is punishable by one to three years’ jail time, or probation. The alleged hooligans are due back in court on Oct. 6.
The six anti-Olympics demonstrators, before and after they were arrested.
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