Dozens of freelance journalists from around the world have set up shop at the Chicago Independent Media Center inside a Wicker Park office building so they can cover NATO.
And many admit they're sympathetic toward anti-NATO protesters though they also identify themselves as journalists.
"It's not a really clear distinction nor does there need to be," said Chicago Independent Media Center coordinator Jimmy Johnson. "It's something that we've set up specifically for the NATO summit so that grassroots journalists from around the country and around the world have a place to work from - like a proper newsroom."
At least 42 freelance journalists are streaming real-time information, images and video via social media through a Chicago Independent Media Facebook page, a NATO Independent Media Facebook page, Chicago Independent Media Twitter, NATO Independent Media Twitter, and YouTube.
Johnson said the Chicago IMC will broadcasting online in different languages every protest that takes place in the next 96 hours.
"This allows us to get our coverage out to Pakistan. We've got people translating it into Urdu, Farsi, Swedish, into German, Spanish, Portuguese, French - at this point we're almost up to a dozen languages," said Johnson.
Awzurra Biagi traveled from Italy to cover NATO through the Chicago Independent Media Center, which she heard about through Occupy Chicago.
"We're going to cover some events until Monday, a few demonstrations and I'm going to write on my blog," Biagi said. "We are facing the same problems - lack of jobs, lack of opportunities, banks, power and so we are all in the same situation."
According to Wiegand, "I'm here to photograph the protests… I think this is a good idea and it's important for the people here to see this," Wiegand said.
