Category Archives: Chicago
NBC Chicago Made a Mistake by Connecting Hate Crime to Sunday
By Kiersten Hellegers.
To the editor of the CBS Chicago online publication,
Monday, Jul 21, 2014, NBC Chicago posted a report about a leaflet threatening crimes against the Jewish community if Israel does not end its siege of Gaza. NBC Chicago made a mistake by connecting this hate crime to Sunday’s peaceful Chicago protest against Israel’s strikes on Gaza. The fact is, there are hate crimes against both Jews and Muslims in Chicago, and trying to make the Israel-Palestine Conflict a religious issue only adds to this problem.
Chicago Commemorates Al-Quds Day
On Friday, a diverse crowd of 400 people commemorated al-Quds Day that takes place annually in multiple cities around the world. This year Chicago’s event and others across the world were focused on the assault on Gaza and the deaths of over 1,000 Palestinians – the majority civilians.
Devon Avenue Eid al-Fitr Celebration Interrupted by Chicago Police (Audio, Video)
By Agnieszka Karoluk
Follow @huliganjetta48
On the evening of July 27, thousands of Muslims in Chicago received confirmation that Ramadan has ended and Eid al-Fitr has begun. Although Chicago has many Muslim communities- including but not limited to Bosnian, Palestinian, African-American, Nigerian, and hundreds of converts, one community in particular has an annual tradition of celebrating Eid al-Fitr in a public way. What began as a celebratory atmosphere of musical instruments, dancing, and henna- ended with one arrest, and dozens of police cars and patrol officers harassing community members.
Chicago’s Red Light Camera Program tags Thousands with $100 Fines
After thousands of motorists have been tagged with $100 fines, a group of aldermen are asking for a watchdog to investigate Chicago’s red light camera program.
Quinn Signs New Bill that gives Epilepsy Patients Access to Medical Marijuana
Soon adults and children with epilepsy will gain access to the use of medical marijuana in Illinois under a law signed on July 20 by Governor Pat Quinn. This new law, SB 2636, is the latest in a series of governmental measures that loosen restrictions on cannabis in U.S. states.
Thousands of Chicagoans March for Palestine
On Sunday, July 20th, thousands of Chicagoans gathered downtown to protest recent events related to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. While there is no exact figure on the number of attendees, estimates run as conservatively as 2,000 to as enormous as 10,000 and is arguably the largest Palestinian protest in Chicago to date. Marchers convened along Upper Wacker Drive for the start of the protest. After weaving through downtown, they concluded their march at the intersection of Madison and Canal near Chicago’s Israeli consulate. Throughout the march, chants and songs could be heard resonating within the vicinity of downtown. While there were numerous organizations, individuals, and voices, they all marched for the same cause—an end to the violence in Palestine.
Chicago Activists Protest ‘Bomb Trains’ Carrying Oil through Local Neighborhoods
Local activists and environmental groups recently held protests to spotlight their concern that “bomb trains” carrying highly volatile crude oil could be traveling through densely populated Chicagoland neighborhoods.
New law puts African-Americans in charge of minority-focused programs
A new legislation will put African-Americans in charge of minority-focused programs. Sen. Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) proposed a bill, SB 121, allowing African-Americans to be included in the planning process and development of minority programs.
OP/ED: Investment in Community Service has the Greatest Return during Ramadan
By Saher Khan
Last summer, I spent Ramadan in Saudi Arabia. The stop lights in Jedah were filled with people handing out bags of food to those driving by. The streets of Mecca were flooded with children handing bread to whomever crossed their path. In the city of Medina, we were ushered into the mosque where strangers innocuously competed to be the first to feed us. It seemed as if the Saudis were so generous that ironically, not a soul went hungry during the month of Ramadan.
Chicago & the World Protest Collective Punishment of Palestinians
Over 1000 people from a coalition of Chicagoland Palestinians, along with members of student, faith-based, human rights and social justice groups, turned out for a rally and march last Saturday to demand an end to collective punishment of Palestinians and demand justice for all Palestinians killed in the Israeli Army’s “Operation Brother’s Keeper”. Chicago was joined by similar protests in more than 40 cities world-wide including Washington DC, Los Angeles, Cleveland, Seattle, Dearborn, Brooklyn, Atlanta, San Francisco, Boston, Houston, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia, London, Galway, Paris, Brussels, Melbourne, and Madrid. Now with the launch a few hours ago of “Operation Protective Edge” against Gaza, global protests may soon be returning to the streets.
