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The People's Fabric

@peoplesfabric.com

10K followers 1.2K following 3.2K posts

Chicago. Investigative journalist. One half of @UnraveledPress.com. Got a tip? Signal is @tpf.99

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · Aug 20

We focused on the rapid proliferation of license plate readers and adoption of real-time crime center systems, but police spent loads on other tech.

For instance, police in Oak Brook, Countryside, North Riverside, and Willowbrook bought handheld & vehicle-mounted StarChase GPS launchers.

Image of a StarChase handheld GPS launcher. A yellow and black, mostly plastic device that resembles a rifle. Comes with a laser-sight, runs on batteries and uses compressed air to shoot cylindrical projectiles that stick to vehicles to track their location real-time.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1m

Meanwhile, more ISP on the adjacent roof. One brought his own folding chair and waves at a heckler.

The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 2m

ISP called facility management guys out here. They got the lift working in approximately five seconds.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 10m

I couldn’t see in the scrum, sorry.

The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 11m

Much of ISP has withdrawn to the adjacent lot.

The crowd has continued to grow. At least a few hundred people here singing.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 15m

ISP gave up on the lift and instead gained access to the roof.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 31m

ISP really wants to get an elevated look here but they’ve been struggling to figure this out for almost ten minutes.

One protesters yells, “I’m certified if you need help.”

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 38m

It’s now after 9am so protest is allowed in Broadview.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 48m

Some clergy are begging to be allowed closer to the detention center to perform communion.

"You are preventing our religious freedom," someone in the crowd shouts.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 53m

A handful of masked feds have come out. ISP greets them with handshakes as they chat.

They’ve been talking for a while now.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 1h

Several Illinois state troopers out here now with pepper ball launchers of their own.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1h

ISP in riot gear lining up with batons at the ready across from the crowd.

Protesters chant “shame,” as they accuse ISP of protecting ICE.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1h

State troopers just dragged three people out of the crowd.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1h

A ton of state troopers. Some in riot gear.

Crowd is 200+ now. Still relaxed and singing with occasional boos as ICE vehicles pass by.

State troopers. Photo right: ISP in riot gear.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1h

A chill crowd out here, again, singing and chanting.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 1h

Well that didn’t last long. Protesters have moved onto the west side of 25th, on the same side as the ICE facility.

I count at least 9 vans that appear to be arriving state troopers.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 2h

The Cook County Sheriff’s Office & Broadview PD have instructed protesters & press to gather on the east side of 25th Ave., which is in a different municipality, Maywood. This is after they already lined the west side with concrete barriers.

A crowd gathered on the public sidewalk outside of homes in Maywood.

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unraveled @unraveledpress.com · 2h

Happening now: we're at the Broadview ICE facility outside Chicago.

CCSO + Broadview police are telling protesters + press they can't stand on the west side of 25th Street for any reason.

We asked what the precise public safety issue is. They just said they're anticipating cars coming through.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 2h

In Broadview this morning, just outside of Chicago, where you can get a police surveillance pod, a drone, and a helicopter in a single shot.

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Jonah Newman @jonahshai.bsky.social · 12h

I keep thinking about this detail from today’s hearing: Federal judge April Perry said she began getting threats “about 10 minutes” after she was assigned the case seeking to block Trump’s national guard deployment. This is the world we live in now.

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 21h

Perry: "I agree with you about the seriousness of threats, generally, across the United States right now. I don't think there's a single public servant, really, who is not being subject to threats.

"Mine started about 10 minutes after I got this case."

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VinegarMike @vinegarmike.bsky.social · 14h

Chicago October 2025: "Are the helicopters over my house this evening because of the Cubs playoff game or is it the federal government doing extrajudicial kidnappings?"

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Adam Serwer @adamserwer.bsky.social · 13h

www.wweek.com/culture/2025...

Can you put into words what that purpose is? You and the frog have really become icons of this protest.

There’s been a nice overall whimsy that has shown up. The frog is amazing. We had a bunch of other inflatable people here last night, too. I saw people playing Twister the other day.

What they rely on is fear. So by coming out in an absurdist manner, it speaks to them, to some extent, that we’re actually not that afraid.

It also dismantles their narrative a little bit. When they try to describe this situation as “war-torn,” it becomes much harder to take them seriously when they have to post a video saying [U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security] Kristi Noem is up on the balcony staring over the Antifa Army and it’s, like, eight journalists and five protesters and one of them is in a chicken suit.

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Murph @murphtracks.bsky.social · 14h

The Mark Bray situation is so completely fucked right now and if you're a journalist you need to start saying how it's fucked because you're fucking next. They won't stop at academics.

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The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 13h

and they say there’s no such thing as a sure bet

The People's Fabric @peoplesfabric.com · 13h

Any bets on how many TROs the Feds break tomorrow/this weekend?

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Dave Byrnes @djbyrnes1.bsky.social · 13h

Looks like we didn't have to wait for tomorrow for the written order: bsky.app/profile/jons...

Jon Seidel @jonseidel.bsky.social · 15h

U.S. District Judge April Perry's temporary restraining order is in:

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