Nurses Protest Withdrawn NATO Permit

"One way or another we will have the rally"

UPDATE: Nurses, City Make NATO Protest Deal

A national nurses union wants their pre-NATO Summit rally back, and they're marching outside Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office Wednesday to try and get it back.

The city on Tuesday withdrew the group's permit for a rally scheduled on May 18, the first day of the G-8 summit which has since been moved to Camp David.

The union initially got the city's OK, but Chicago officials demanded their route, from the Sheraton Hotel in Streeterville to Daley Plaza, be amended to avoid the Loop.

National Nurses United Executive Director RoseAnn DeMoro said the city was worried the free concert by "Rage Against the Machine" singer Tom Morello would get out of hand if it were held at Daley Plaza.

A letter from the Department of Transportation to the nurses said the permit was "modified to accommodate changes to your event, including a performance by a nationally-known musician."

The letter also states the change was made because the estimated number of concertgoers would "be greater than 5000" because of the advertising of the concert.

"The nurses are disappointed but fired up," said Jan Rodolfo, registered nurse and national coordinator of National Nurses United. "One way or another we will have the rally. Nurses will not be silenced."

Rodolfo said the group has until Thursday to accept the new route or they lose it. They have not yet made a decision.

The union had expected 1,000 nurses for the march and another 1,000 for the planned rally at Daley Plaza.

Note: This post was originally published May 9, 2012.

Contact Us