Chicago: South Side Episcopal church will be sanctuary for NATO protesters

May 4, 2012

An Episcopal church on the South Side will serve as a sanctuary for protesters coming to the NATO summit.

Trinity Episcopal Church's small fenced yard at 26th Street and Michigan Avenue is to serve as a campsite for a group of about 40 demonstrators planning to ride bicycles from Madison, Wis., to Chicago for the NATO summit the weekend of May 19.

Andy Thayer, a lead organizer of the May 20 march against NATO, said the campsite will be public and, at the priest's request, a team will keep watch to make sure campers treat the church and property with respect.

On Thursday, Chicago Episcopal Bishop Jeffrey Lee told the Rev. Errol Narain that he should not be present when the campsite is on the property, according to the Rev. Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, director of networking for the Chicago Episcopal Diocese. the rest