Pro-Palestinian protest erupts in downtown Chicago ahead of DNC, city leaders brace for more

Hundreds of protesters staged demonstrations and marched downtown Chicago, a day before the city hosts the 2024 Democratic National Convention. According to CBS News, a coalition of feminist and LGBTQ+ organizations called Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws conducted a rally on Wacker Drive which is located just east of Michigan Avenue.

From protesting against the unjust laws in the United States, the rally soon turned into a pro-Palestinian protest which was followed by a march south of Michigan Avenue. As per the report, around 200 people participated in the rally which took place on Sunday evening.

The protests commenced at 5:30 pm (local time) and the protesters were seen holding signs along with Pride and Palestinian flags. The crowd eventually increased to 500 people.

More police than protesters

With the intention to prevent any kind of escalation, it was estimated that there were more police officers than protesters present during the Sunday rally. According to CBS News, the officers were on their bicycles at the scene, ensuring that the crowd was kept together and everyone remained safe.

A total of 13 speakers were set to address the crowd between the opening and the closing rallies for the event. On the first night of the DNC, the Coalition to March are scheduled to conduct their rally which will be focused on the pro-Palestinian cause.

Former Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson noted that the city’s authorities have received proper training for the “worst-case scenario”. “The supervisors have to, you know, constantly monitor the skirmish lines to make sure the officers are in the right state of mind to be able to deal with protesters,” Johnson told CBS News.

The comments from the ex-supt. came amid concerns about whether the Chicago authorities would protect protesters’ First Amendment rights, or distinguish peaceful protesters from those who might cause problems.

“Here’s the philosophy—so a crowd like this, you don’t want to come in as the police and agitate them and show them a hard look right off the bat, because what you’re signalling to them is that you’re ready for a fight, and that’s just not the case with this protest group here,” Johnson explained.

“Sometimes, you’ll get groups that come in that you know are going to be agitators, that you have to have to show up in the BDUs—the battle dress uniforms and the riot helmets. But a crowd like this—I think that they’re playing it correctly,” he added.

Johnson’s statement was also echoed by his successor, Supt. Snelling, when he elucidated what would be tolerated and what would not. “Remember, there’s a fundamental difference between protesting peacefully and rioters—and rioters won’t be tolerated,” he said. During the 1968 DNC in Chicago, massive riots broke out across the city as anti-Vietnam war activists took centre stage. At that time, the Chicago police made over 600 arrests.