Father Pfleger Leads Anti-Gun Protest

CHICAGO (WBBM) -- Father Michael Pfleger said he succeeded in everything except getting arrested in an escalated anti-gun protest, this time inside the State of Illinois Thompson Center.

Father Pfleger said his weekly demonstrations outside the Thompson center had produced insufficient Springfield action on gun control.

He said the fact that guns have killed 8 more Chicago school children since Labor Day made him believe that an escalation was needed.

So he and seven willing to be arrested blockaded the security checkpoint inside the building.

State Highway Patrol security did some non-violent resistance of their own and maneuvered building visitors around the demonstrators and up the elevators to their appointments.

Each of the eight demonstrators wore hand painted T-shirts bearing the words "Gun Violence Kills" above the name of one of the eight killed since school started.

Father Pfleger proclaimed the sit-in successful although there were no arrests and promised to extend the protest to lawmakers homes throughout the state if necessary to get some gun control legislation.

He was offered a visit with an aide to Governor Rod Blagojevich, but said "The Governor's not the problem, we need help from lawmakers."

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