right now in Obama's hometown, thousands of teachers are pouring into the Loop chanting "Emanuel has got to go!" #ctustrike
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Solidarity Vom (@rollieprole) September 10, 2012As Twitchy reported earlier, Occupiers were quick to pledge their solidarity with the Chicago Teachers Union in its strike, and now the strike has taken on an Occupy-like dimension as hundreds if not thousands of teachers and supporters have taken to the streets, shutting down the Chicago Loop this afternoon.
UPDATE: Kris Habermehl in Chopper 780 says a sea of red is marching in the Loop in #Chicago. Teachers rallying on first day of strike.—
Steve Grzanich (@SteveGrzanich) September 10, 2012
My office is half a block from a pretty loud protest by the Chicago Teachers' Union. It's been growing all day. Drums, airhorns, etc.—
Matt White (@geekstarter) September 10, 2012
Enormous crowd at @CTULocal1 rally!! http://t.co/n2f5CjPg—
Shirien شرين (@shishibean) September 10, 2012
Wow! Look at this crowd! Rahm must be pissing on himself. http://t.co/xYX5etEs—
Shirien شرين (@shishibean) September 10, 2012
Teachers strike shut down the Loop!! #chicago #CPS instagr.am/p/PaIDRBSkdq/—
Barrington (@CadillacCarter) September 10, 2012
Hundreds block traffic in Chicago http://t.co/cXCNvmHX—
Jonathan Hoenig (@JonathanHoenig) September 10, 2012
Lots of anti Rahm signs http://t.co/62zcmfqV—
Jonathan Hoenig (@JonathanHoenig) September 10, 2012
A familiar #Occupy refrain http://t.co/8pi7kxnC—
Jonathan Hoenig (@JonathanHoenig) September 10, 2012
6 blocks in Chicago shut down massive protest look here yfrog.com/ocrtizgrj per @laborradio—
Mike Elk (@MikeElk) September 10, 2012
#ctustrike marchers carry giant banner asking "Democratic Party Where Are You?" yfrog.com/oe51ohbj—
Mike Elk (@MikeElk) September 10, 2012
Some students had tweeted that their teachers had encouraged them to join in on the strike. Workers Independent News is reporting that teachers have brought in a drum line. Are these students?
yfrog.com/hs9f6kaj the teachers brought a drum line. #cpsstrike—
(@laborradio) September 10, 2012
Another source identifies the drum line as students from Thomas Kelly High School in Chicago.
Kelly HS Drum Line represent! #ctustrike #faircontractnow http://t.co/Ltnbn2rp—
Labor Notes (@labornotes) September 10, 2012
We realize poster board doesn’t come with a built-in spell checker, but speaking of Kelly High School…
@emzanotti Literacy rate commensurate to something more like this: http://t.co/tmJm6XsY—
Eric Kohn (@iEricKohn) September 10, 2012
Occupy Chicago is using the opportunity to distribute copies of its Occupied Chicago Tribune newspaper.
Student utilizes copy of @occupiedchitrib for speech during #ctustrike rally http://t.co/cutlLuO3—
(@daneyvilla) September 10, 2012
While labor organizations are thrilled with the turnout, a downtown traffic stoppage isn’t winning sympathy from everyone.
So Chicago teachers decided a good way 2 launch a protest is 2 shut down loop traffic. This isn't causing me 2 b sympathetic 2 their cause.—
David Stevenson (@DavidStevenson) September 10, 2012
Chicago teachers are acting like moronic lemmings starting a protest during rush hour, blocking the Loop. And these people make 76k?—
Robyn (@Robyndtf) September 10, 2012
Blocking traffic for thousands of people, many of them trying to get home to out of school kids, is what's "Giving the best to children"—
LawlessVixen (@hboulware) September 10, 2012
No official crowd estimates have been given, but the Chicago Sun-Times reported “thousands,” while supporters are claiming up to 30,000.
Any preliminary crowd estimates for #ctustrike march through the Loop? Looks insane.—
joe erbentraut (@robojojo) September 10, 2012
I've heard crowd estimates of 20k+. Hard to say for sure. #FairContractNow #CTUstrike—
Rachel Allshiny (@allshiny) September 10, 2012
@CTULocal1 parents, students community have shut down the loop! Over 30,000 in the street #CTUstrike #faircontractnow http://t.co/46mnie8O—
Caleb Jennings (@killingfloor1) September 10, 2012
