Mayor Rahm Emanuel said today he consulted with Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy late Saturday night before police arrested about 175 protesters who refused to leave Grant Park.Emanuel also said his administration has reached out to organizers of the Occupy Chicago demonstrations, but a spokesman for the group said they have refused a meeting.
Emanuel's comments were the first since the largely peaceful demonstration Saturday that ended early Sunday when some of the demonstrators were hauled off in handcuffs around 1 a.m., approximately two hours after the park's 11 p.m. closing time.
"As it relates to Grant Park, there's a very specific law as it relates to closing down the park," Emanuel said. "There was conversation between the police department and the protesters about respecting that -- and it starts at 11 o'clock -- about vacating Grant Park. Those conversations went all the way to -- I'm doing this by memory -- 12:30 or 1 o'clock-ish.
"And at that point -- Garry and I had a couple conversations throughout the night -- we have to respect the laws and we have to enforce them."
Asked if he directed McCarthy to arrest the protesters, the mayor said "I was in -- not 'direct,' I wouldn't characterize it that way. I was in consultation and conversation with the police superintendent."
After the mayor's comments, his press office reiterated that McCarthy made the call to make the arrests.
Speaking at an unrelated news conference this morning, Emanuel said the Police Department and the city Law Department are talking to the protesters "to see if we can find a way to go forward so they can continue to express themselves, which is what happens in a democracy, with also respect for law from everybody involved."
But a spokesman for Occupy Chicago said they declined the meeting because protesters are still facing misdemeanor charges stemming from the protest.
“We decided not to have the meeting (with Emanuel’s people) until the charges were dropped,” said spokesperson Kelvin Ho, adding that the group relayed that message to the mayor's office.
