Sep 30, 2009 7:25 pm US/Central
6 Anti-Olympic Protesters Charged With Mob Action
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Anti-Olympic protesters in Daley Plaza.
CBS
Six people were charged Wednesday with mob action for allegedly damaging property at an anti-Olympic protest in the Loop Tuesday evening.
A group of protesters tried to snatch an Olympic decoration that was supposed to go on the Picasso statue in Daley Plaza.
Jeremy Hammond, 24, of Chicago; his twin brother Jason Hammond of Glendale Heights; Jeremy Sorkin, 21, of Chicago; Johnathan Clark, 21, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina; and Anna Stafford, 20, of Wheatfield, Ind. have each been charged with one count of mob action — a Class 4 felony, according to Cook County State's Attorney's office spokeswoman Tandra Simonton. The charges were approved at 1:05 p.m.
All six will appear for a bond hearing Thursday, Simonton said.
The six have also each been charged with criminal damage to property and resisting and obstructing a peace officer, both classified as misdemeanors, police said.
Police said Jason Hammond listed his occupation on a police report as a self-employed rock star.
CBS 2's Anne State reports that the whole thing started as workers were decorating Daley Plaza for the Olympics.
An oversized Olympic medal was being taken out of packaging as a group of protesters nearby was beating drums chanting, "No Games."
Some of the protesters tried to grab the Olympic prop. They weren't able to do so; they just pulled off the brown wrapping around it.
One protester hopped over the fence and burned the wrapping in the eternal flame.
An officer was then seen grabbing one of the demonstrators as the rest of them began running across Daley Plaza. That officer called for back-up and got it in a hurry. Several police cars showed up.
"The great thing about this country is that we have a right to freedom of speech. At the same time, there is a line that you cannot cross. And unfortunately that line was crossed tonight," said Chicago Police Lt. Charles Flynn.
Two witnesses claim police acted brutally.
Olympic opponent and witness Magda Ramirez said, "The police also did damage to them. Grabbed the young people, threw them on the ground and had them arrested."
Not all of the protesters at Daley Plaza Tuesday contributed to the violence. Others may be taken into custody as the investigation continues.
Members of No Games Chicago, the group that organized the rally, headed to Copenhagen Tuesday to tell the International Olympic Committee that Chicago is in such financial straits it cannot afford the games and is such a hotbed of political corruption it doesn't deserve them.
"We are bringing materials to back up our claim that Chicago is not fit to host the games," said Tom Tresser, an organizer for the group.
CBS 2's Anne State, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
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