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August 19, 2013

Protesters Detained as Chicago Razes Field House Used as School Library 
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A Chicago field house whose proposed demolition sparked a three-year
community protest has been razed to the ground. The Whittier Elementary
School field house was dubbed "La Casita" by the neighborhood parents
and children who used it as a community center and library. After the
city declared the building unsafe, the parents fought its demolition
with an over month-long sit-in in 2010. On Saturday, 10 people were
arrested while trying to block city bulldozers from carrying out the
demolition. Outraged parents stood by.

Parent: "It breaks our heart to see this. But we know, we know what kind
of government we have, that don't care about us. And we know what we
have to do to make sure that our voice is represented from now on."

Parent 2: "They talk about safe passage. They talk about the violence.
We were an answer. We were providing the answer for free, at no cost to
[Chicago Pubic Schools], and this is how they repay us."

Chicago officials say the building posed a safety threat and that
parents had failed to uphold an agreement for its repair. Instead of
replacing the library, the city plans to build a sports field in its
place.

 

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