UPDATE: Group Appeals NATO Protest Ruling
Activists on Tuesday plan to appeal a city ruling that denied their application for a protest slated to coincide with the start of the NATO summit in May.
The protest group, the Coalition Against the NATO/G8 War & Poverty Agenda, previously had an identical application approved for May 19 but submitted a modified application after President Obama yanked the G8 summit for the quieter setting of Camp David.
That second application was denied. Officials said the May 20 application was denied because of transportation, congestion and security concerns that come with the larger NATO summit.
Protesters maintain Mayor Rahm Emanuel -- who was given broad authority to maintain security -- is blocking free speech. They also say Chicago shouldn't host the summit if it doesn't have the police manpower to handle both the summit and the protests that come with it.
