Police officer stabbed, up to 45 arrested during NATO protests in Chicago

CHICAGO (NYP) -- One policeman was stabbed and dozens of arrests were made Sunday evening as an estimated 3,000 protesters rallied against the NATO summit in Chicago.

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said the officer was stabbed in the leg, FOX News Channel reported. Three other officers were hospitalized with minor injures.

Up to 45 protesters were arrested, McCarthy said, in the second night of clashes to mar the international meeting.

Some police officers in full riot gear swung their batons at protesters who pushed forward against a line of cops, the Chicago Tribune said. The confrontation outside the convention center hosting the summit followed what had been a largely peaceful protest at Grant Park.

Even at the park, however, there were some disruptions. According to the Tribune, police arrested seven individuals at about 1 p.m. local time who were carrying rocks, cans of spray paint, pry bars, urine-filled bottles and other "dangerous weapons."

Police and protesters also clashed Saturday night, when demonstrators blocked downtown traffic and tried to charge through cops on bicycles, according to police cited by The Wall Street Journal. [...]

The major exception was the high-profile arrests of five activists accused of planning to make or use Molotov cocktails during the NATO events.

Brian Church, 20, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Jared Chase, 24, of Keene, N.H, and Brent Vincent Betterly, 24, of Oakland Park, Fla., were arrested Wednesday and charged Saturday with conspiracy to commit terrorism, providing material support for terrorism and possession of an explosive or incendiary device.

Cook County prosecutors said the men planned to attack Chicago police stations and squad cars to create a distraction before hitting Obama's Chicago campaign headquarters, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's home and financial institutions downtown.

Chicago residents Sebastian Senakiewicz, 24, and Mark Neiweem, 28, were also hit with terrorism-related charges Sunday over allegations they planned to make or use Molotov cocktails.

The Journal reported that some Chicago companies, including Boeing, have asked employees to work from home on Monday to avoid the demonstrations.

And then there is this: