Circus protest story was not accurate

Circus protest story was not accurate

As witness to all reported in the Aug. 30 Daily Herald story, "Police, fender-bender disrupt protest of circus", I'm disgusted with the story's slant and inaccuracies. Especially misleading is the headline. In fact, police were there responding to a phoned complaint about the protest. Gee, who might gain from calling the police? Hmmm … let's see, that's a tricky one. I wonder.

The officer never told anyone to "rein in". She simply suggested perhaps moving closer to the fence, which all did, immediately. Concerns of "commotion/distraction" were never mentioned. In fact, she told me she appreciated how orderly we were!

"My troops? Reporter Jack Komperda was told explicitly that I didn't know several protesters. No one I knew entered streets or got within inches of cars! (I have requested a retraction from the Daily Herald). However, I saw no hazard by the one woman who did approach cars.

Distributing fliers is legal (like soliciting for charities at street intersections). I witnessed a circus clown and parking attendants on the road more hazardously than anyone! An accident occurred. Everyone felt terrible for the owner of the parked car and driver. But, be it pedestrians, mobile phones … potential distractions exist. Numerous other cars passed without incident. It happened because a young driver made a mistake. Period. The officer was there when the accident occurred. If any protester was responsible, tickets would've been issued, names taken.

So why mention the accident? Because it gives credence to your misleading headline. Pure sensationalism! It's unspeakable this headline accompanies a photograph of smiling children. Are they the reason police "disrupted"? You didn't report that anyone acted responsibly ... ergo, these children needed to be "reined in"? Perhaps this reporting was shoddy? Perhaps you exploited the faces of innocent children to sell papers? Either way, shame on you! These children, and some moms, exercised their constitutional rights peacefully, orderly. Without freedom of speech, they wouldn't have been there. Without freedom of the press, neither would you.

P.S. - Regarding "coverage" of the real story, maybe you don't remember -- protesting alleged abuse of elephants. The animals appreciated all you did for them -- Not.

A loyal Chicago Tribune reader,

Ellen Nafziger

Wheaton