Scheduled protest will shut down Illinois interstate this weekend

Organizers have confirmed that an earlier scheduled protest will shut down an Illinois interstate.

Three groups have partnered to schedule a shutdown of a major interstate in Chicago.

The groups, the Chicago Activist Coalition for Justice, Tikkun-Chai International, and Pilsen-Humboldt Park Anti-Gentrification Group, created a Facebook event called “Black Lives Matter March: SHUT DOWN OUR DAN RYAN.” 

The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, August 15, at 12:00pm.

The groups want 25,000 people to attend the shutdown. To date 1,800 people have indicated they plan to attend.

According to the Facebook event, the groups want to shut down the Dan Ryan Expressway, beginning at Garfield 55th.

Amid recent outbreaks of violence in Chicago, the groups have been working with authorities in an effort to not have the protest shut down. The group issued the following rules for protesters:

UPDATE: RESTRICTIONS EXPLAINED WAS DUE TO CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS PROTEST THAT WAS RESULTED. IN MASS VIOLENCE. NEGOTIATIONS HAD TO BE MET TO SALVAGE THE ENTIRE EVENT FROM BEING SHUTDOWN. DIPLOMACY WON FOR THE FAMILIES OF “STOLEN LIVES” TO GIVE THEIR MEMORY TO BE HONORED. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE RABBI IT IS ABOUT THE FAMILIES THAT MOURNDan Ryan Shutdown RESTRICTIONS from Rabbi Michael Ben Yosef meeting yesterday with CITY OFFICIALS are as follows:1. MARCH ROUTE & EXIT HAS BEEN MODIFIED DUE TO A COMPROMISE TO ALLOW EXPRESSWAY ENTRY AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE EVENT. TBA2. No cars on expressway trailing with protesters to unload any water or snacks.3. PROHIBITED PVC pipes must not be brought on expressway with exception of Chicago Activist Coalition For Justice banner PVC.4. NO WAGONS OR COOLERS NOTE: Drastic change of WAGONS/COOLERS & PVC being PROHIBITED is based on protesters used PVC as a weapon at the CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS STATUE.5. No protester must NOT jump over onto CTA RED LINE TRAIN TRACKS.6. No protester can proceed further on tbe expressway after the march exits DAN RYAN EXPRESSWAY.Note: The Rabbi promised to insure ALL protesters leave the expressway and will monitor that detail.7. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO PROCEED ON EXPRESSWAY ONCE THE LAST PROTESTOR IS KNOWN. POLICE PROMISED TO CLOSE ENTRANCE AFTER ENTIRE MARCH IS FULLY ON THE EXPRESSWAY8. MARCH ROUTE & EXIT HAS BEEN MODIFIED DUE TO A COMPROMISE TO ALLOW EXPRESSWAY ENTRY. TBA9. BIKES ARE PROHIBITED ON EXPRESSWAY. Note: We are asking BIKERS to walk on upper level on the street to monitor protesters and meet us at the exit.

According to Wikipedia, “the Dan Ryan Expressway is a freeway in Chicago that runs from the Circle Interchange with Interstate 290 (I-290) near Downtown Chicago through the South Side of the city. It is designated as both I-90 and I-94 south to 66th Street, a distance of 7.44 miles (11.97 km). South of 66th Street, the freeway meets the Chicago Skyway, which travels southeast; the I-90 designation transfers over to the Skyway, while the Dan Ryan Expressway retains the I-94 designation and continues south for 4.03 miles (6.49 km), ending at an interchange with I-57. This is a total distance of 11.47 miles.”