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When the Democratic National Convention gets underway in Chicago on Monday, it is expected to be accompanied by the largest pro-Palestine protests in the city’s history, according to advocacy groups.
Pro-Palestine demonstrators aren’t new to Chicago. They have been marching on the city’s streets every weekend since last October, when Hamas attacked Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. An estimated 40,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza and 85 per cent of people displaced from their homes there since the war’s onset.
The DNC, where Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are expected to accept their nominations, faces significant disruption from protests, with Chicago home to the largest community of Palestinians in the country. Tens of thousands are anticipated to mobilize.
“It’ll be the largest protest in the history of Chicago for Palestinian rights, specifically,” Hatem Abudayyeh, national chair for the US Palestinian Community Network, told Block Club Chicago.
Here’s everything we know about the pro-Palestine protests.
When and where will the protests take place?
The protests are expected to take place on the first and last days of the convention, August 19 and 22.
Demonstrators are expected to gather in Park 578 and Union Park both a stone’s throw from the United Center, one of the two DNC venues.
There has been a months-long court battle over the protest route. Advocacy groups requested parade permits to march near the United Center but were repeatedly denied by city officials. The city, in turn, offered the groups an alternative route, a requirement that prompted them to sue the city and Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation, alleging First Amendment violations.
The groups then asked a federal judge to extend their route by a mile, and move the route closer to the United Center. The judge denied that request on August 12, partly due to the route interfering with the Secret Service perimeter, court filings show.
Organizers said they plan to appeal the decision, according to ABC7. It’s unclear whether the groups will stick to those restrictions or will march without a permit.
“We’re going to march regardless, but we’re fighting for the best route possible,” Faayani Aboma Mijana, a spokesperson for the March on the DNC coalition, told Semafor. “We’ve got our park permit, but the City has refused to allow us to use port-a-potties, a stage, and a sound system.”
How many people are expected to take part in the protests?
The exact number is unknown but estimates say Chicago could see anywhere from 30,000 to 100,000 demonstrators.
The demonstrations come after nearly a year of war in the Middle East and ensuing unrest that has erupted in the US over the Biden-Harris administration’s response to it.
One group, the March on the DNC coalition, said it intends “to bring the people’s agenda to within sight and sound of the Democratic Party leadership.”
The coalition added: “Genocide Joe Biden has stepped down from running for President as the Democratic Party nominee. His decision doesn’t change the policies of Democratic Party leadership, specifically their support of the genocide in Palestine, so our movement must continue to apply pressure.”
Harris recently confronted Pro-Palestine protesters at a rally in Michigan last week. Protesters seemed to be shouting: “We won’t vote for genocide!” Harris cut in: “You know what? If you want Donald Trump to win, then say that. Otherwise, I’m speaking.”
She also said: “I’m here because we believe in democracy. Everyone’s voice matters. But I am speaking now.”
What kind of security measures are in place?
City officials said on August 13 that planning and police training have been ongoing for a year.
Police superintendent Larry Snelling said there will be resources in “every single neighborhood” not just at DNC venues. “So it’s not forgotten that we have a city to protect,” he added.
When asked how Chicago police plans to handle arrests of protesters, Snelling replied: “If everyone is doing exactly what is expected of them and they are exercising their first amendment rights, this isn’t an arrest situation…But we will not guarantee someone that we’re not going to make arrests if they start to act violently or commit crimes.”
But ahead of the convention, civil rights groups have raised serious concerns about “mass arrest” policies and police’s ability to handle the crowds, a fear likely stemming from the recent moves by the city.
Court officials announced the temporary reopening of a defunct courtroom at a police station to potentially process and release dozens of people, The Independent previously reported. The Chicago Police Department has also shelled out millions of taxpayer dollars to defend and settle lawsuits related to misconduct during 2020 protests.
There are also the indelible images of violence that emerged from the 1968 DNC in Chicago of cops beating anti-Vietnam War protesters. More than 600 demonstrators were arrested while 190 officers and 100 protesters were injured, according to a report at the time.
Snelling addressed this point, and tried to quell concerns. “Oftentimes, it is forgotten that there was a Democratic convention between 1968 and now. It was a success,” he said, referring to the 1996 convention where former president Bill Clinton accepted the nomination.
Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi told NBC News that his agency feels prepared for the major political event.
“What people really need to understand is this is a national security event. Every resource of the federal, state, county and local government will be used,” Guglielmi said. “It’s the highest security designation that the United States can give to anything. ... We feel very confident in the security plan in the Chicago Police Department. We’re going to work hand in glove to make sure that the DNC is safe and that Chicago is safe.”
The DNC arrives as the Secret Service has been heavily scrutinized for its handling of Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania last month where he survived an assassination attempt.
