Protests, Boycott Greet Rahm Emanuel At MLK Breakfast
By Bill Ruthhart and Juan Perez Jr. for the Chicago Tribune. For 30 years, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Breakfast hosted by Chicago's mayor has had a political undercurrent, as politicians from across the city paid tribute to the legendary civil rights leader while paying attention to the important constituency of African-American voters.
But on Friday, the event became a political spectacle. Those who chose to attend Emanuel's event were greeted by about 20 angry protesters shouting "Shame on you!" as Chicago police worked to keep the group of demonstrators from blocking the entrance to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. The breakfast itself was interrupted three times by protesters. Ministers produced a list, claiming that more than 100 pastors had chosen to boycott the breakfast.
"The mayor had to go to his old tactics of bringing busloads of people in from the nursing homes, retirement centers to bring some black faces in to fill the room."