DNC pro-Palestinian protesters march near United Center
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End of the march on Monday as demonstrators walk east on Lake Street. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
As delegates and visitors headed to the United Center for the DNC on Monday, thousands of protesters made their voices heard nearby.
Why it matters: The Coalition to March on the DNC brought together groups representing a variety of causes including immigration, reproductive and workers' rights, police violence prevention, and environmental justice, but the resounding message was the call for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the U.S. to end aid to Israel.
- Hatem Abudayyeh, a coalition spokesperson and national chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, compared the moment to the anti-Vietnam War activism at the 1968 DNC in Chicago, using the famous phrase: "The whole world is watching."
- Organizers have emphasized that even though Vice President Kamala Harris is at the top of the ticket instead of President Biden, it doesn't change their frustration with the administration's handling of the war in Gaza.
What happened: After nearly three hours of speeches at Union Park, the march toward the United Center eventually began and was primarily peaceful until some protesters started scaling and knocking down a fence that blocked off the United Center from the route.
- Joe Iosbaker from the coalition told Axios those individuals weren't officially part of the coalition, but added that jumping a fence "is not violence."
- Chicago police spokesperson Tom Ahern told Axios there were at least two arrests.
- The DNC Public Safety Joint Information Center said protesters did not breach the inner security perimeter.
Between the lines: Counter protests were minimal, but included pro-Israel demonstrators peacefully protesting near Union Park.
The big picture: The coalition previously estimated it expected 30,000 people to attend, but the crowd was much smaller.
- Abudayyeh said more than 270 groups and buses from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio and other states brought in participants. He estimated 20,000 showed up.
- Chicago Police spokesperson Don Terry told Axios he thought that number was too high, but the police did not provide an actual estimate.
Friction point: The coalition argued with the city for months about the route for the march, and organizers ended up negotiating with police throughout the day Monday to be able to march about an extra quarter mile.
State of play: At both Monday's protest and a Sunday night protest led by Bodied Outside Unjust Laws, police officers on bikes lined both sides of the street and moved with the marchers, in some cases allowing press through to take photos.
- On Monday, Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry Snelling and Chief of Patrol Jon Hein were at the front, facing marchers, throughout the route.
What they're saying: "We've accomplished what we set out to do, which is we put this on the nation's agenda. We're the counterpoint to the DNC," Iosbaker said as the day of speeches and marches wrapped up.
- "The DNC and Kamala Harris, they make it sound like, 'Oh, the problem in Gaza, oh it's sad, and we're going to fix it.' No, they're committing genocide and now every press outlet in the world has the counter point."
What's next: The coalition is hosting another rally on Thursday, the closing day of the DNC, in Union Park.