Thread by @joemacare

Second floor of City Hall (the North side of the building, if you’re coming) is packed for #NoCopAcademy press conference prior to today’s vote.

Rahm claims the $95 million academy as a contribution to police training that will reduce police violence, but started planning for it *before* the recent DOJ report that recommends not investing money in new brick & mortar infrastructure before cultural change. #nocopacademy

Carlos Rosa gets a big cheer, immediately gives the credit to @AssataDaughters & @NoCopAcademy organizers for coming to him & motivating him to vote no. #nocopacademy

“Despite all the harm that’s been done by that man three floors above us, we the people are rising up... Our movement is growing... it’s not about me, it’s about us.” - Alderman Rosa #nocopacademy

Rosa points out that on Wednesday, Rahm was cockily bragging to the press “show me one alderman who’s going to change their vote.” Well, since then Alderman Ricardo Munoz has changed to saying he’ll vote no. #nocopacademy

Note: with their obnoxious big signs about how to “Really” make an “ACTUAL” revolution, the RCP here look exactly like counter protesters. And their white lady just tried to interrupt this press conference. So I guess they are.

“No cop academy, 95 mil for community!” #nocopacademy

Can we please get a decent challenger from the left in time for the next mayoral election? Cos people are ready. #NoCopAcademy

“Ain’t no party like a no cop party cuz a no cop party don’t stop!” #NoCopAcademy

I have made it from the ridiculous hot raucous hallway to the cool ACed rushed interior of the city council. Spotted a @NoCopAcademy organizer talking to Joe Moore so however he votes, he can’t claim to have not heard their message. #NoCopAcademy

And there he is, the brains behind school closures, mental health clinic closures, anti-protest crackdowns and a $95 million police academy. #NoCopAcademy

Fun fact: apparently you have to remove your hat in here unless you’re a cop?

A security guy jokingly asked someone (I think he knew) who entered: “Troublemaker or regular?” A joke but let’s be real: this room would be almost devoid of the public if no troublemakers were here. #noCopAcademy

The state of US democracy / civics (and certainly the modern Chicago way): ordinary constituents showing up to a city council meeting, who are strongly invested, are de facto troublemakers. #noCopAcademy

Roll call is beginning. I’m at the back so the chanting from the hall is very loud. #nocopacademy

Alderman Rosa gets a big cheer & applause from crowd when his name is read. Rahm takes a big gulp of water & looks like he’s chewing a wasp. #noCopAcademy

An extremely emotional invocation prayer ends hoping “let Satan be horrified.” No comment. #nocopacademy

The first speaker opposes the academy & decries her alder woman for misrepresenting her constituents. Rahm flicks through papers, carries on a conversation. #NOcopAcademy

Second speaker is Tony who directly addresses the Black caucus for supporting the man who closed 50 schools & lets police “kill us in these streets.” #NOCOPACADEMY

This was Helen Presley ^^^

https://twitter.com/mskellymhayes/status/1000095329868533762?s=21

Tony ended by calling on the Black Caucus to “support your people... for once!” #NoCopAcademy

Tony also said that if the Black caucus continue supporting Rahm, come next year they’ll all be cleaning out their offices. #noCopAcademy

https://twitter.com/mskellymhayes/status/1000096107370860545?s=21

First pro-cop-academy speaker insists that he is from the neighborhoods & opponents aren’t (this is despite the other speakers already saying where they live) & repeats the canard that those concerned about police murder don’t care about interpersonal shootings. #noCopAcademy

But even his support is conditional on the contractors for the academy hiring young Black people from the local communities which isn’t gonna happen sooo... #NOCOPACADEMY

Then there was an older gentleman whose speech unfortunately degenerated into xenophobia. Not clear his position except he thinks the activists should apply to be sole contractor. #NOCOPACADEMY

Latest speaker is Erica Nanton who pushes back *hard* against idea that #noCopAcademy doesn’t know names of victims of non-police shootings. These are our families, she says, our children whose schools were closed. #NOCOPACADEMY

“Some of us were not even of voting age when you came into office,” said Erica to a Rahm who briefly disappeared. “But we are now. And we’re coming. We’ll take the streets, won’t we?” #nocopacademy

“If you want people to put the guns down, raise job opportunities up.” — Erica #noCopAcademy

A “business owner” from the West side wants us to know we can’t blame everything on the police but must also blame “our own judgment” uh ok. #nocopacademy

But again, even her support was conditional on the idea it will bring economic development. She claims “Walmart did!” and the room laughed. #nocopacademy

A local pastor speaks on behalf on #NoCopAcademy and literally says it’s so “we can pull ourselves up by our bootstraps.” The crowd erupts and why not.

This is being framed by the older, pro-academy speakers as a generational conduct but these speakers can’t stop themselves from also smearing opponents as lawbreakers etc. #nocopacademy

The last woman who spoke in support of the academy also claimed its opponents would call 911 when in trouble (Not if they can avoid it) & need to vote to make change (ask Anita Alvarez about that). #NOCOPACADEMY

Alderman Mitts now claims that the “public safety academy” is “no cop academy” & that opponents want media attention, don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s Emma “I’ll kill your cat” Mitts. #NOCOPACADEMY

The last two aldermen have been from wards adjacent to where the academy will be built, pinning their support on the idea that “economic development” & “public safety” will trickle across to their wards. #nocopacademy

The high-ranking, well-funded Alderman Burnett, of the 27th Ward, is outdoing Mitts for combining insulting/patronizing opponents — leading one young man to yell “I live on the West side! This is BS!” & get escorted out. #nocopacademy

Another alderman is lecturing the young #nocopacademy organizers here about how they need to vote. Again: many of them are literally the people who fought & won the #ByeAnita campaign.

Oh don’t worry, he then added that you shouldn’t vote someone out over “just one issue.” #NOCOPACADEMY

Alderman Rosa is doing some slow-the-works process stuff I think. I’m not a professional. #nocopacademy

Rosa: We’re not here today because of the motion David Moore & I filed. We’re here because Black & working class Chicagoans are riding up against police violence. #NOCOPACADEMY

Alderman Rosa just rattled off a list of figures of how much Chicago spends on policing compared to other services. But says lives lost to police violence much more important than $. #nocopacademy

“It is clear that our Chicago Police Department does not suffer from a lack of resources. It suffers from a lack of accountability & oversight.” — Alderman Carlos Rosa. #NOCOPACADEMY

Rosa just plugged the book “American Pharoah” & talks about how Richard J. Daley used public institution construction projects as anchors for gentrification. #nocopacademy

Rosa also called out how the claim that this academy responds to the DOJ report doesn’t hold water because planning for it predates that & how little space the report gives to the idea of training facilities. #NOCOPACADEMY

Joe Moore is up now saying that he’s been concerned with CPD reform for years. But this is leading to him saying he supports the academy of course. #NOCOPACADEMY

Joe Moore’s have-it-both-ways equivocating is too much for one Rogers Park constituent who stands up to denounce him & gets escorted out. Brief chant of “No more Joe Moore!” #nocopacademy

Alderman King says she wants to see DOJ recommendations that the report puts as bigger priorities implemented before the facility & calls on Council to do that. But she’s voting yes. “It’s not either / or.” #nocopacademy

King says she believes the city “has enough money” to do both (fund the academy & also invest in schools, mental health etc). This might be true buuut it’s not how Rahm has governed. #nocopacademy

King ended by again asking the organizers here to vote. “We’ll vote you out!” someone cried to which she replied “If so, so be it.” #nocopacademy

Alderman Ervin’s rant in which he accused all the opponents of being “from Avondale” (they are not) was the final insult, led to more people being escorted out after angrily replying. #nocopacademy

The vote passed. Then this happened. If you think they’re playing “Ask Anita!” #nocopacademy

Now in a debrief circle facilitated by @may20p. #nocopacademy

Final thought: Hey you know what? I think the exhortation that these organizers “go out and vote” might come back to bite some of the City Council in the behind come November. They are resolved to organize. #NOCOPACADEMY

A lot of people who are not usually given to seeing elected officials as the solution cheered Rosa today (I feel much the same) & may be interested if other wards can produce similar challengers.