Thousands of us are protesting at the DNC
in Chicago this week. Here's why
It's time for the Biden/Harris administration to stop supporting Israel and recognise that the oppression of the Palestinian people is inherently connected to the oppression of Americans here at home.
These have grown thanks to more than a year of consistent outreach and buildup. The RNC took place in Milwaukee last month, on July 15, and was met by over 3,500 protesters from all over the country and across various movements for liberation.
These people showed up in spite of threats of right-wing violence in response to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump two days earlier.
Due to the Democratic Party being in the driver's seat during the ongoing US-backed genocide in Gaza, we are expecting tens of thousands more people to march on the DNC in Chicago this week.
The Coalition to March on the DNC consists of over 200 organisations, thousands of people of diverse backgrounds united in solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle, and opposition to US support for Israel.
We are united in understanding the connections between our struggles and the Palestinian struggle. Nelson Mandela said "our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians," and he meant it literally.
Here's a simple example: Police in the US are often trained by Israeli soldiers in repressive tactics. Since 2001, thousands of officers from local, state, and federal agencies have learned surveillance and crowd control methods from Israel under the guise of "counter-terrorism."
US imperialism is a global system, and each crime it commits on oppressed people anywhere allows it to inflict greater injustice on oppressed people everywhere.
The global connections between oppressors also create space for solidarity among the oppressed.
When Black people in Ferguson protested the murder of Michael Brown in 2014, Palestinians were able to give advice on how to deal with tear gas, because they had faced the same US-manufactured tear gas while protesting in Gaza.
Broken promises
The Democratic Party relies on the votes of working and oppressed people to win elections, yet they routinely break promises made to those communities once they get in power.
Biden and Harris won the 2020 election largely due to the momentum of the George Floyd uprising, but their lip service to police reform has not stopped police from killing over a thousand people every year since 2020.
Meanwhile, several Democratic administrations failed to codify Roe v Wade into law, so there was no defence against the conservative Supreme Court's decision to revoke women's reproductive rights in 2022.
In terms of immigration, while Biden condemned former US President Donald Trump's administration for its policy of putting kids in cages, he is on track to deport as many people in his term as Trump did.
And now presumptive nominee Kamala Harris is promising to be tougher on the border than Trump.
So the march on the DNC will also be a march for the people's agenda, because we know Democratic Party leaders will give us nothing without mass action.
Protective measures
Democratic Party leaders have spent almost a year repressing the Palestine solidarity movement rather than ceasing to fund genocide and occupation with our tax dollars.
Notably, police have brutalised thousands of students who formed encampments to demand their universities divest from Israel. Protesters in Chicago and around the country have faced arrests and charges for their righteous actions.
Repression has always been a tactic of the US government, which is why we have made extensive preparations to protect the people who show up to march on the DNC.
Since November, we have fought the City of Chicago for a permit to ensure that police leave our march alone. We have a large team of volunteers prepared to separate police from protesters and de-escalate tense situations.
We have legal observers documenting police crimes in case they happen to take appropriate legal action. We are building a march that children, elders, disabled people, undocumented immigrants, and people who have been impacted by the criminal legal system can safely attend.
We have teams of volunteers throughout the country doing outreach and creating signs and banners for the march. We have buses bringing people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and even as far as New Mexico. The members of the coalition have poured months of work and years of collective experience into making this march successful.
The March on the DNC will be a historic moment in the anti-imperialist movement. We have learned from those who fought against the US wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, those who stood in solidarity with South Africans fighting apartheid, and everyone who has fought to defend their rights, that freedom is a constant struggle.
Goals go beyond the ballot box
The march on the DNC will be a milestone in building the struggle for collective liberation, and we will continue the fight until imperialism is destroyed.
We will not be swayed by non-committal comments about a ceasefire from Harris while the Biden/Harris administration is still giving the green light for more arms sales to Israel.
We will not be divided or intimidated by the rhetoric of the Democratic Party leaders who invoke the name of Donald Trump rather than ending their support for genocide.
We will not be swayed by non-committal comments about a ceasefire from Harris while the Biden/Harris administration is still giving the green light for more arms sales to Israel. We will not settle for anything less than an end to all US aid to Israel.
Martin Luther King Jr. said "The time is always right to do what is right." Now is the right time to demand justice for Palestine and for oppressed people internationally.
If the Democratic Party loses in November, it will not be the fault of people who are doing the right thing. It will be the fault of party leaders who spent almost a year funding one of the worst crimes against humanity while neglecting the communities who got them elected.
Our goals are far bigger than the ballot box. We aim for a free Palestine, and freedom for all people in the world.
SOURCE: TRT World
Kobi Guillory
Kobi Guillory is a middle school science teacher in Chicago. He grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been organizing with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression since 2019 and with CTU since 2022. He is a member of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
It's time for the Biden/Harris administration to stop supporting Israel and recognise that the oppression of the Palestinian people is inherently connected to the oppression of Americans here at home.
Kobi Guillory
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Reuters
A lectern is pictured at the United Center, the host venue of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), in Chicago, Illinois, August 15, 2024. / Photo: Reuters
By the time the Democratic National Convention (DNC) opens in Chicago on August 19, the Jewish state of Israel will be 319 days into its campaign of open genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The United States government is the biggest sponsor of this genocide, and it has financially, politically and militarily supported the occupation of Palestine since 1948.
Those of us in the belly of the US imperialist beast have a responsibility to stand up against our genocidal government, which is why tens of thousands of us will be marching on the DNC to demand an end to all US aid to Israel.
US President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris' administration has gifted Israel at least $15 billion in military and financial aid since October 7. While millions of people in the US do not have adequate food, housing, education or healthcare, the government prioritises paying for bombs to massacre Palestinians.
Why we march
Last year, as soon as the locations of the Democratic and Republican national conventions were announced, several organisations formed coalitions to march on both of them.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Reuters
A lectern is pictured at the United Center, the host venue of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), in Chicago, Illinois, August 15, 2024. / Photo: Reuters
By the time the Democratic National Convention (DNC) opens in Chicago on August 19, the Jewish state of Israel will be 319 days into its campaign of open genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The United States government is the biggest sponsor of this genocide, and it has financially, politically and militarily supported the occupation of Palestine since 1948.
Those of us in the belly of the US imperialist beast have a responsibility to stand up against our genocidal government, which is why tens of thousands of us will be marching on the DNC to demand an end to all US aid to Israel.
US President Joe Biden and his Vice President Kamala Harris' administration has gifted Israel at least $15 billion in military and financial aid since October 7. While millions of people in the US do not have adequate food, housing, education or healthcare, the government prioritises paying for bombs to massacre Palestinians.
Why we march
Last year, as soon as the locations of the Democratic and Republican national conventions were announced, several organisations formed coalitions to march on both of them.
These have grown thanks to more than a year of consistent outreach and buildup. The RNC took place in Milwaukee last month, on July 15, and was met by over 3,500 protesters from all over the country and across various movements for liberation.
These people showed up in spite of threats of right-wing violence in response to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump two days earlier.
Due to the Democratic Party being in the driver's seat during the ongoing US-backed genocide in Gaza, we are expecting tens of thousands more people to march on the DNC in Chicago this week.
The Coalition to March on the DNC consists of over 200 organisations, thousands of people of diverse backgrounds united in solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle, and opposition to US support for Israel.
We are united in understanding the connections between our struggles and the Palestinian struggle. Nelson Mandela said "our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians," and he meant it literally.
Here's a simple example: Police in the US are often trained by Israeli soldiers in repressive tactics. Since 2001, thousands of officers from local, state, and federal agencies have learned surveillance and crowd control methods from Israel under the guise of "counter-terrorism."
US imperialism is a global system, and each crime it commits on oppressed people anywhere allows it to inflict greater injustice on oppressed people everywhere.
The global connections between oppressors also create space for solidarity among the oppressed.
When Black people in Ferguson protested the murder of Michael Brown in 2014, Palestinians were able to give advice on how to deal with tear gas, because they had faced the same US-manufactured tear gas while protesting in Gaza.
Broken promises
The Democratic Party relies on the votes of working and oppressed people to win elections, yet they routinely break promises made to those communities once they get in power.
Biden and Harris won the 2020 election largely due to the momentum of the George Floyd uprising, but their lip service to police reform has not stopped police from killing over a thousand people every year since 2020.
Meanwhile, several Democratic administrations failed to codify Roe v Wade into law, so there was no defence against the conservative Supreme Court's decision to revoke women's reproductive rights in 2022.
In terms of immigration, while Biden condemned former US President Donald Trump's administration for its policy of putting kids in cages, he is on track to deport as many people in his term as Trump did.
And now presumptive nominee Kamala Harris is promising to be tougher on the border than Trump.
So the march on the DNC will also be a march for the people's agenda, because we know Democratic Party leaders will give us nothing without mass action.
Protective measures
Democratic Party leaders have spent almost a year repressing the Palestine solidarity movement rather than ceasing to fund genocide and occupation with our tax dollars.
Notably, police have brutalised thousands of students who formed encampments to demand their universities divest from Israel. Protesters in Chicago and around the country have faced arrests and charges for their righteous actions.
Repression has always been a tactic of the US government, which is why we have made extensive preparations to protect the people who show up to march on the DNC.
Since November, we have fought the City of Chicago for a permit to ensure that police leave our march alone. We have a large team of volunteers prepared to separate police from protesters and de-escalate tense situations.
We have legal observers documenting police crimes in case they happen to take appropriate legal action. We are building a march that children, elders, disabled people, undocumented immigrants, and people who have been impacted by the criminal legal system can safely attend.
We have teams of volunteers throughout the country doing outreach and creating signs and banners for the march. We have buses bringing people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and even as far as New Mexico. The members of the coalition have poured months of work and years of collective experience into making this march successful.
The March on the DNC will be a historic moment in the anti-imperialist movement. We have learned from those who fought against the US wars in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, those who stood in solidarity with South Africans fighting apartheid, and everyone who has fought to defend their rights, that freedom is a constant struggle.
Goals go beyond the ballot box
The march on the DNC will be a milestone in building the struggle for collective liberation, and we will continue the fight until imperialism is destroyed.
We will not be swayed by non-committal comments about a ceasefire from Harris while the Biden/Harris administration is still giving the green light for more arms sales to Israel.
We will not be divided or intimidated by the rhetoric of the Democratic Party leaders who invoke the name of Donald Trump rather than ending their support for genocide.
We will not be swayed by non-committal comments about a ceasefire from Harris while the Biden/Harris administration is still giving the green light for more arms sales to Israel. We will not settle for anything less than an end to all US aid to Israel.
Martin Luther King Jr. said "The time is always right to do what is right." Now is the right time to demand justice for Palestine and for oppressed people internationally.
If the Democratic Party loses in November, it will not be the fault of people who are doing the right thing. It will be the fault of party leaders who spent almost a year funding one of the worst crimes against humanity while neglecting the communities who got them elected.
Our goals are far bigger than the ballot box. We aim for a free Palestine, and freedom for all people in the world.
SOURCE: TRT World
Kobi Guillory
Kobi Guillory is a middle school science teacher in Chicago. He grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been organizing with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression since 2019 and with CTU since 2022. He is a member of the Central Committee of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization.
Chicago braces for protests during next week's Democratic National Convention
Preparations continued on Friday at the United Center, which will be the location of the evening activities at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Officials in Chicago are bracing for several different protests after the Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday.
Demonstrations pushing multiple different causes are expected to blanket the Windy City.
The groups include pro-Palestinian supporters calling on the Democratic Party to help end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian population in the United States.
"We're going to march regardless, but we're fighting for the best route possible," March on the DNC coalition spokesperson Fayani Aboma Mijana said on the group's website.
"We've got our park permit, but the city has refused to allow us to use [portable restrooms], a stage and a sound system."
Earlier in the week, a federal judge ruled that a planned protest expected to draw thousands of participants during the DNC will have to use the current route provided by City of Chicago officials.
U.S. Northern Illinois District Judge Andrea Wood ruled the current route near the convention's site at the United Center enables protesters to "speak near their intended audience" and does not violate their First Amendment rights.
"Biden and Harris have the power to stop it, and they haven't," Arab American Action Network Executive Director Hatem Abudayyeh told reporters Thursday.
"The Democrats must end all U.S. aid to Israel immediately. It's illegal for the city attorneys to stop us from saying this."
On Friday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials officially unveiled a new police helicopter.
The $11 million Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter is expected to be busy during the coming days.
"We ensure that this helicopter would be here for the upcoming Democratic National Convention to assist with securing our city from the air, the areas around the convention, as well as keeping eyes on activities city-wide," Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters during a Friday news conference.
"I cannot stress enough the importance of this helicopter of our public safety efforts during the DNC and for years to come."
Preparations continued on Friday at the United Center, which will be the location of the evening activities at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo
Aug. 16 (UPI) -- Officials in Chicago are bracing for several different protests after the Democratic National Convention kicks off Monday.
Demonstrations pushing multiple different causes are expected to blanket the Windy City.
The groups include pro-Palestinian supporters calling on the Democratic Party to help end the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian population in the United States.
"We're going to march regardless, but we're fighting for the best route possible," March on the DNC coalition spokesperson Fayani Aboma Mijana said on the group's website.
"We've got our park permit, but the city has refused to allow us to use [portable restrooms], a stage and a sound system."
Earlier in the week, a federal judge ruled that a planned protest expected to draw thousands of participants during the DNC will have to use the current route provided by City of Chicago officials.
U.S. Northern Illinois District Judge Andrea Wood ruled the current route near the convention's site at the United Center enables protesters to "speak near their intended audience" and does not violate their First Amendment rights.
"Biden and Harris have the power to stop it, and they haven't," Arab American Action Network Executive Director Hatem Abudayyeh told reporters Thursday.
"The Democrats must end all U.S. aid to Israel immediately. It's illegal for the city attorneys to stop us from saying this."
On Friday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and other city officials officially unveiled a new police helicopter.
The $11 million Bell 429 twin-engine helicopter is expected to be busy during the coming days.
"We ensure that this helicopter would be here for the upcoming Democratic National Convention to assist with securing our city from the air, the areas around the convention, as well as keeping eyes on activities city-wide," Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters during a Friday news conference.
"I cannot stress enough the importance of this helicopter of our public safety efforts during the DNC and for years to come."
Democratic National Convention: what can Kamala Harris learn from Chicago ‘68?
ONE OF THE CHICAGO SEVEN (1968)
Jordan Green, Investigative Reporter
RAW STORY
August 16, 2024
Portable toilets. (ABB Photos / Shutterstock)
CHICAGO — Thousands of left-wing activists who plan to protest the Democratic National Convention next week won a court battle today, as the city government agreed to allow portable toilets where the protesters plan to march.
Previously, the City of Chicago had argued that portable toilets at Union Park, four blocks from United Center — where Vice President Kamala Harris will ceremonially accept the presidential nomination on Aug. 22 — posed a public safety risk.
The portable toilets, city officials said, could be used to launch terrorist attacks or fashioned into weapons.
“Regarding portable restrooms, these offer a space for concealment of weapons or unsanitary materials that can be used against other persons or law enforcement officers,” Bryan Gallardo, an assistant commissioner at the Chicago Department of Transportation, wrote in a letter to protest organizers on Wednesday. “They can be used as a base from which to inflict mass casualties. They may also be broken down into pieces that can be used as weapons against other persons or law enforcement officers or used to repel law enforcement.”
ALSO READ: How Gaza protesters plan to roil the Democratic National Convention
Gallardo added that “CDOT is not suggesting that your particular group will use these items in these ways,” but said the city was concerned that others might misuse the facilities “to harm members of the public or law enforcement officers.”
The left-wing protest groups are organizing under the umbrella of the Coalition to March on the DNC, which is primarily focused on opposing U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza.
Faayani Aboma Mijana, a spokesperson for the coalition, told Raw Story that the city's concerns were "bogus," while citing the protest group's due diligence in securing permits, and training parade marshals to guide the marchers and deescalate conflict with counter-protesters.
"We went to great lengths to show that we can have a safe, family-friendly protest," they said.
But in a statement hailing the decision, the coalition described the fight for portable toilets as evolving into “an almost absurd dispute.”
The protest group had filed an emergency motion for a preliminary injunction in federal court to challenge the restrictions, and lawyers for the two sides had been expected to appear before Judge Andrea R. Wood for a hearing this afternoon.
Workers continue to expand the security perimeter into the neighborhood around the United Center in preparation for the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 16, 2024 in Chicago. The Democratic National Convention will run from August 19-22 at the United Center. Large protests around the United Center are expected. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
But before that happened, the city agreed to meet the protesters demands, and Wood canceled the hearing.
The city confirmed the agreement on Friday.
“In preparing to host the Democratic National Convention as mayor of the city of Chicago, I have remained committed to upholding the diverse, multi-generational movements that brought me by exercising the right to protest and First Amendment rights,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a prepared statement. “We are focused on collaborative solutions and have extended this approach to our convention preparation to balance the need for security with our commitment to free expression.”
The city’s statement also included march routes for a handful of allied left-wing protest groups staging from Union Park on the first and last days of the convention, but Mijana said the city-approved routes do not meet the needs of the 30,000 to 40,000 people expected to show up for the protests.
The protest groups vowed “to keep fighting through other avenues to extend the length of the protest march route, to allow for more portable toilets, and to allow for tents in Union Park to house medics and media.”
Relatedly, the City of Chicago agreed to allow the protesters to use a stage and amplification system at the park where marches will begin on the first and last days of the Democratic National Convention.
Jordan Green is a North Carolina-based investigative reporter at Raw Story, covering domestic extremism, efforts to undermine U.S. elections and democracy, hate crimes and terrorism. Prior to joining the staff of Raw Story in March 2021, Green spent 16 years covering housing, policing, nonprofits and music as a reporter and editor at Triad City Beat in North Carolina and Yes Weekly. He can be reached at jordan@rawstory.com. More about Jordan Green.
TV BROADCAST:
"THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING "
PROTESTERS CHANT AT DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION
CHICAGO 1968
CHICAGO
Someday (August 29, 1968) (2002 Remaster)
The Whole World is Watching ,,,,, replay of yesterday is playing again Today! Nothing has changed except the numbers on the calendar. Chicago knew it . This song is still relevant today !
Thousands of activists expected in Chicago for Democratic convention to call for Gaza ceasefire
Chicago’s police superintendent is touting extensive officer training as a critical part of the city’s preparations for the Democratic National Convention
BY SOPHIA TAREEN
August 17, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of activists are expected to converge on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, hoping to call attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza.
While Vice President Kamala Harris has energized crowds of supporters as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, progressive activists maintain their mission remains the same.
Activists say they learned lessons from last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and are predicting bigger crowds and more robust demonstrations in Chicago, a city with deep social activism roots.
Who is protesting?
Demonstrations are expected every day of the convention and, while their agendas vary, many activists agree an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is the priority.
Things are set to kick off Sunday on the convention’s eve with an abortion rights march along iconic Michigan Avenue.
Organizer Linda Loew said even though Democrats have pushed to safeguard reproductive rights at home, the issue is international. They will march in solidarity with people everywhere who struggle for the right to control what happens to their bodies, as well as to protest the money the U.S. spends to back wars that could be used for healthcare, she said.
“We believe that the billions of dollars that continue to flow to the state of Israel and the flow of weapons are having an inordinate and horrific impact, but in particular on women, children and the unborn,” she said. “All of these things are tied together.”
The largest group, the Coalition to March on the DNC, has planned demonstrations on the first and last days of the convention.
Organizers say they expect at least 20,000 activists, including students who protested the war on college campuses.
“The people with power are going to be there,” said Liz Rathburn, a University of Illinois Chicago student organizer. “People inside the United Center are the people who are going to be deciding our foreign policy in one way or another.”
Where are they protesting?
Activists sued the city earlier this year, saying restrictions over where they can demonstrate violate their constitutional rights.
Chicago leaders rejected their requests for permits to protest near United Center on the city’s West Side, where the convention is taking place, offering instead a lakefront park more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away.
Later, the city agreed to allow demonstrations at a park and a march route closer to the United Center. A federal judge recently signed off on the group’s roughly 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) route.
Coalition to March on the DNC spokesman Hatem Abudayyeh said the group is pleased they won the right to protest closer to the convention, but he believes their preferred 2-mile (3-kilometer) march would be safer for larger crowds. The group is chartering buses for activists from about half a dozen states.
“We’re going forward, full speed ahead,” he said.
The city has designated a park about a block from United Center for a speakers’ stage. Those who sign up get 45 minutes.
The Philadelphia-based Poor People’s Army, which advocates for economic justice, plans to set up at Humboldt Park on the city’s Northwest Side and will feature events with third-party candidates Jill Stein and Cornel West, plus a 3-mile (5 kilometer) march Monday to the United Center.
Some group members have spent the last few weeks marching the more than 80 miles (130 kilometers) from Milwaukee, where they protested during the Republican convention.
“Poor and homeless people are being brutalized, with tents and encampments destroyed and bulldozed away, from San Francisco to Philadelphia to Gaza and the West Bank,” spokesperson Cheri Honkala said in a statement as the group reached Illinois. “These preventable human rights violations are being committed by Democratic and Republican leaders alike.”
Chicago’s police superintendent is touting extensive officer training as a critical part of the city’s preparations for the Democratic National Convention
BY SOPHIA TAREEN
August 17, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Thousands of activists are expected to converge on Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention, hoping to call attention to abortion rights, economic injustice and the war in Gaza.
While Vice President Kamala Harris has energized crowds of supporters as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, progressive activists maintain their mission remains the same.
Activists say they learned lessons from last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee and are predicting bigger crowds and more robust demonstrations in Chicago, a city with deep social activism roots.
Who is protesting?
Demonstrations are expected every day of the convention and, while their agendas vary, many activists agree an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war is the priority.
Things are set to kick off Sunday on the convention’s eve with an abortion rights march along iconic Michigan Avenue.
Organizer Linda Loew said even though Democrats have pushed to safeguard reproductive rights at home, the issue is international. They will march in solidarity with people everywhere who struggle for the right to control what happens to their bodies, as well as to protest the money the U.S. spends to back wars that could be used for healthcare, she said.
“We believe that the billions of dollars that continue to flow to the state of Israel and the flow of weapons are having an inordinate and horrific impact, but in particular on women, children and the unborn,” she said. “All of these things are tied together.”
The largest group, the Coalition to March on the DNC, has planned demonstrations on the first and last days of the convention.
Organizers say they expect at least 20,000 activists, including students who protested the war on college campuses.
“The people with power are going to be there,” said Liz Rathburn, a University of Illinois Chicago student organizer. “People inside the United Center are the people who are going to be deciding our foreign policy in one way or another.”
Where are they protesting?
Activists sued the city earlier this year, saying restrictions over where they can demonstrate violate their constitutional rights.
Chicago leaders rejected their requests for permits to protest near United Center on the city’s West Side, where the convention is taking place, offering instead a lakefront park more than 3 miles (5 kilometers) away.
Later, the city agreed to allow demonstrations at a park and a march route closer to the United Center. A federal judge recently signed off on the group’s roughly 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) route.
Coalition to March on the DNC spokesman Hatem Abudayyeh said the group is pleased they won the right to protest closer to the convention, but he believes their preferred 2-mile (3-kilometer) march would be safer for larger crowds. The group is chartering buses for activists from about half a dozen states.
“We’re going forward, full speed ahead,” he said.
The city has designated a park about a block from United Center for a speakers’ stage. Those who sign up get 45 minutes.
The Philadelphia-based Poor People’s Army, which advocates for economic justice, plans to set up at Humboldt Park on the city’s Northwest Side and will feature events with third-party candidates Jill Stein and Cornel West, plus a 3-mile (5 kilometer) march Monday to the United Center.
Some group members have spent the last few weeks marching the more than 80 miles (130 kilometers) from Milwaukee, where they protested during the Republican convention.
“Poor and homeless people are being brutalized, with tents and encampments destroyed and bulldozed away, from San Francisco to Philadelphia to Gaza and the West Bank,” spokesperson Cheri Honkala said in a statement as the group reached Illinois. “These preventable human rights violations are being committed by Democratic and Republican leaders alike.”
How does a new nominee change things?
Many activists believe nothing much will change because Harris is part of the Biden administration.
“The demands haven’t changed. I haven’t seen any policy changes,” said Erica Bentley, an activist with Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity. “If you’re going to be here, you’re going to have to listen to what’s important to us.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters in Chicago have been highly visible, shutting down roads to the airport and staging sit-ins at congressional offices. Some are planning their own one-day convention Sunday with third-party candidates.
“Regardless of who the nominee is, we’re marching against the Democrats and their vicious policies that have allowed Israel to kill over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza,” said Fayaani Aboma Mijana, an organizer with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
It’s unclear if the convention will draw far-right extremists who ardently support former President Donald Trump.
Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer said last week there are no known specific security threats against the convention.
Is Chicago ready?
The convention will draw an estimated 50,000 people to the nation’s third-largest city, including delegates, activists and journalists.
The city says it has made necessary preparations with police and the Secret Service. Security will be tight, with street closures around the convention center.
To combat traffic concerns, city leaders are touting a new $80 million train station steps from the United Center. They also have tried to beautify the city with freshly planted flowers and new signs. City leaders also cleared a nearby homeless encampment.
Police have undergone training on constitutional policing, county courts say they are opening more space in anticipation of mass arrests and hospitals near the security zone are beefing up emergency preparedness.
But some have lingering safety concerns, worried that protests could become unpredictable or devolve into chaos.
“We’re going to make sure that people have their First Amendment rights protected, that they can do that in a safe way,” Mayor Brandon Johnson told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
Activist Hy Thurman protested and was arrested at the infamous 1968 convention, which is best remembered for brutal clashes between police and protesters opposing the Vietnam War. The 74-year-old now lives in Alabama but plans to come to Chicago to protest the war in Gaza.
“It’s extremely personal for me,” he said. “I see parallels.”
Many activists believe nothing much will change because Harris is part of the Biden administration.
“The demands haven’t changed. I haven’t seen any policy changes,” said Erica Bentley, an activist with Mamas Activating Movements for Abolition and Solidarity. “If you’re going to be here, you’re going to have to listen to what’s important to us.”
Pro-Palestinian protesters in Chicago have been highly visible, shutting down roads to the airport and staging sit-ins at congressional offices. Some are planning their own one-day convention Sunday with third-party candidates.
“Regardless of who the nominee is, we’re marching against the Democrats and their vicious policies that have allowed Israel to kill over 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza,” said Fayaani Aboma Mijana, an organizer with the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
It’s unclear if the convention will draw far-right extremists who ardently support former President Donald Trump.
Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer said last week there are no known specific security threats against the convention.
Is Chicago ready?
The convention will draw an estimated 50,000 people to the nation’s third-largest city, including delegates, activists and journalists.
The city says it has made necessary preparations with police and the Secret Service. Security will be tight, with street closures around the convention center.
To combat traffic concerns, city leaders are touting a new $80 million train station steps from the United Center. They also have tried to beautify the city with freshly planted flowers and new signs. City leaders also cleared a nearby homeless encampment.
Police have undergone training on constitutional policing, county courts say they are opening more space in anticipation of mass arrests and hospitals near the security zone are beefing up emergency preparedness.
But some have lingering safety concerns, worried that protests could become unpredictable or devolve into chaos.
“We’re going to make sure that people have their First Amendment rights protected, that they can do that in a safe way,” Mayor Brandon Johnson told The Associated Press in a recent interview.
Activist Hy Thurman protested and was arrested at the infamous 1968 convention, which is best remembered for brutal clashes between police and protesters opposing the Vietnam War. The 74-year-old now lives in Alabama but plans to come to Chicago to protest the war in Gaza.
“It’s extremely personal for me,” he said. “I see parallels.”
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