Ald. Gardiner’s resolution condemning violent or intimidating protests gains council’s approval 

by BRIAN NADIG

The Chicago City Council at its Jan. 21 meeting approved a symbolic resolution condemning politically motivated protests that have turned violent recently in America.

The motion passed in a Left-leaning “Sanctuary City” that has opposed immigration enforcement by federal agents in Chicago’s neighborhoods that has led to some intense clashes over the summer between protestors and agents. The ordinance condemns violence, harassment and intimidation as a means to protest.

Alderman James Gardiner (45th) said that he wrote the legislation in September of last year but that it was pertinent to a Jan. 18 incident in Minnesota in which protestors entered a church because a pastor there reportedly was a local ICE official.

“We can agree or disagree on the immigration problem in this country. But what we cannot and will not tolerate are people trespassing in a house of worship,” said Gardiner, who was the chief sponsor of the bill.

Gardiner said that protestors could have chosen to peacefully protest outside the church any other day of the week but instead chose to enter during a crowded Sunday morning service.

“You can protest as much as you want but there should be boundaries on how far you can take your protest,” Gardiner said.

Alderwoman Maria Hadden (49th) expressed concern that the resolution could be construed as condemning those standing up to fascism and protesting “the pulling” of people off the streets by federal agents.

“I’m a little confused … on what a positive vote on this (resolution) condemns,” said Hadden, who said she supported the resolution in committee but during the council meeting asked for clarification.

Gardiner said that he wrote the ordinance following a mass shooting in August at a Minneapolis church and that it took a while to get the council’s powers-to-be to hold a hearing on his proposed resolution.

The resolution condemns the killings of “Republican and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and Democrat and former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, as well as acts of violence and intimidation against individuals of other political and religious persuasions.”

These killings underscore “the urgent need to reaffirm that disagreement must never escalate into harm and condemning such violence is not an endorsement of any particular viewpoint, but rather a defense of the right of all people, regardless of ideology or creed, to live and speak freely without fear of harm,” the resolution states.

More than 35 alderpersons signed on as co-sponsors of the resolution, and the council approved it with no formal objections.

“This stuff is deplorable. I don’t know what people are thinking these days,” Alderman Nicholas Sposato (38th) said. “Protest. Go stand outside. But don’t intimidate women and children and crash a church service.”

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