Lee Klawans / Examiner.com – 2012-05-19 14:50:20

http://www.examiner.com/article/lawyers-guild-claims-nato-activists-disappeared-without-warrant-or-charges

CHICAGO (May 18, 2012) — According to an interview with National Lawyers Guild (NLG) spokesman Kris Hermes, Chicago police officers raided a Bridgeport apartment complex on Wednesday evening without a valid warrant and detained up to nine people without cause.

The NLG is working in Chicago this week sending monitors to protests at the NATO Summit 2012 to insure activists rights are not violated. They are also functioning as lawyers for anyone detained during the week’s activities.

The NLG worked through the night to locate the arrested activists. They were unable to get any information from the Chicago Police Department (CPD) or even any acknowledgement that a raid had taken place.

“We’ve called police officials at every level trying to find out where they were being held. We were denied any information at all about any people being arrested, let alone a raid happening last night. So essentially these people were disappeared for more than 12 hours until we could finally locate them,” said NLG spokesman Kris Hermes.

They were found at the CPD Organized Crime Division police station lock up at 3340 W. Fillmore St. on the West Side.

Lawyers from The NLG were allowed to meet with nine individuals and reported that they were in low spirits, confused about why they were arrested and shackled at both their hands and feet at the meeting. No charges have been filed against them almost 24 hours after their arrest and an Illinois States Attorney at the station refused to meet with the NLG lawyers.

Lee Klawans is a graduate of University of Illinois in Economics and Finance. He’s also done post grad work at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has lived in Chicago all of his life and was raised on the writings of Mike Royko.

Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.