Dave Byrnes
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djbyrnes1.bsky.social
Dave Byrnes
@djbyrnes1.bsky.social
Forklift-certified journalist in Chicago. Politics, courts & labor. Words in the Chicago Reader, Unraveled Press, The TRiiBE, Courthouse News Service and some other ones I forget right now. All opinions & bad jokes my own. DM me for news tips/Signal info.
Two groups of singers on the lakefront
December 6, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The protestors that were on the small hill near the Mackinaw have relocated to join the anti-Noem carollers across the street from Navy Pier proper.

Denise Poloyac with Indivisible Chicago tells me they were told to leave their prior spot on the hil by 9:30 am, on threat of arrest.
December 6, 2025 at 3:48 PM
A few people with megaphones are singing anti-Noem, anti-Trump songs to the tune of Christmas carols. They caught the attention of a young man in a grey DHS sweater.

Moments later, CPD made them back up across the street.

One of the singers tells me CPD moved them back at Navy Pier's request.
December 6, 2025 at 3:18 PM
A small protest against Noem is assembled on a hill near the pier, guarded by nearly as many CPD officers.
December 6, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Good morning from Chicago's Navy Pier. A U.S. Coast Guard Christmas event is currently underway, with Christmas trees being offloaded from Coast Guard cutter Mackinaw.

Reports emerged yesterday that Kristi Noem would be attending this event.

I haven't seen her, but Secret Service is present.
December 6, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The court also released footage of the 9/27 protest marked "News 2 Share," the news agency of videographer Ford Fischer.

The video shows Briggs' arrest, after he's pushed by a Border Patrol agent and falls backward to the ground, from a bystander's perspective.
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 PM
New: per Magistrate Judge Gabriel Fuentes' order, Chicago's fed court has released videos, incl. body cam footage, Fuentes said contributed to his dismissal of the assault case against 70 y/o Dana Briggs. Briggs' case stemmed from a 9/27 protest at the Broadview ICE facility.

Here's the BWC video:
November 24, 2025 at 10:53 PM