Leader of the YIPPIE Revolution
Abbie Hoffman, leader of the YIPPIEs, planned to make Chicago the YIPPIE stage.
Hoffman decided to make his reality a theater as a result of his experiences as a controversial activist in the counterculture and anti-war movements. The eyes of the nation were on the Democratic National Convention and the city itself. Multiple groups from around the country were travelling to Chicago to protest the DNC. Hoffman knew that if the YIPPIEs behaved as they wanted to in this setting, the the antagonistic establishment of Chicago’s mayor and police force would incite conflict. This was exactly what Hoffman wanted, however - it would promote the myth of the YIPPIE movement. It would create theater and drama in the streets and gain the attention of the news media.