The Democratic National Committee is expected to hold large protests in Chicago. Is the city ready?
CHICAGO — The city’s 12,000 police officers say they’re ready. The Secret Service says they’re ready. Local leaders say they’re ready. Residents? Maybe not so much.
An estimated 50,000 delegates, politicians and party activists are expected to attend this week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and tens of thousands of protesters are likely to march in the streets.
Barriers, barricades and parked snowplows already restrict movement in key downtown neighborhoods, while helicopters buzz overhead. Grumpy merchants worry about lost sales, and some residents and tourists say it all seems a bit over the top.
Kai Lei, a 29-year-old tourist, wondered aloud Saturday whether all the precautions were necessary. Lei, a dentist from Great Falls, Mont., who was visiting family, said it all seemed excessive.
“I understand the safety concerns and it’s for everyone’s safety, but it seems a little barbaric,” Lei said.
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A violent context
The convention comes amid the ongoing war in Gaza, following the July 13 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump and the sabotage of public transit during the Paris Olympics. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to formally accept the party’s nomination on Thursday.
On Sunday night, a relatively small crowd of protesters waved flags as they marched several blocks along Michigan Avenue, sometimes outnumbered by bicycle police officers who surrounded the group along one side of the divided street.
“Free, free, free Palestine,” the peaceful protesters chanted over drums and whistles, as curious tourists watched from the sidewalk. Others carried signs supporting abortion access and LGBTQ rights. While Chicago is no stranger to street protests, the march was the first official demonstration of the convention week.
In the lead-up to the convention, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson backed the Chicago police by saying the city would not tolerate any chaos from protesters. Johnson, a former organizer for the city’s teachers union, was elected on the strength of activists who planned to protest the convention. Some top union officials continued to march with the same groups that planned to protest Democratic leaders.
“I want to be absolutely clear: The City of Chicago is ready to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention,” City Manager John Robertson said last week. “We are here in this moment to show that Chicago can shine. We are here to demonstrate that in this moment, we can host the most democratic activities … and to provide space and a place for the full expression of our First and Fourth Amendment rights.”
Since 1860, Chicago has hosted 25 nominating conventions, more than any other city. But it is the 1968 Democratic convention that stands out in the minds of many activists. That year, protesters angry about the Vietnam War violently clashed with Chicago police and the Illinois National Guard, injuring hundreds.
This year, protest groups have lobbied Chicago officials for more space and time to march and demonstrate. They have argued in court that the city is illegally restricting their constitutional rights. City officials have required large groups to obtain permits to march, limited marches to certain streets, and restricted their ability to use parks and other public spaces for gatherings.
Authorities are not sure how many protesters will show up, but early permit applications suggest as many as 6,000 people could march Monday, according to court documents. Organizers expect the number to be closer to 10,000.
Inside Su Taqueria El Rey Del Taco on Saturday, West Loop residents Maida Contreras and Jackie Martinez said they hope the city is prepared.
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“I’ve already told my family, ‘Don’t even think about coming,'” Contreras said.
Contreras and Martinez both say they are concerned about the chaos and destruction, recalling the damage caused across the city during the riots following the killing of George Floyd four years ago.
“This time I’m more aware. That’s what’s so worrisome about living so close” to the congress, Martinez said. “We want to keep everything under control and we don’t want to see anything violent or serious happen.”
A suffocating security blanket
Areas of the city that were closed included Chicago Avenue near the Magnificent Mile of North Michigan Avenue, the city’s main shopping area, and the McCormick Place convention center. Dozens of police officers on bicycles, wearing lighted helmets, rode around after dark, prompting many passersby to pull out their cellphones.
Portions of the convention are being held at the lakefront McCormick Place, with major speeches by Harris, President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama scheduled for the United Center, five miles northwest.
Much like the Republican National Convention held last month in Milwaukee, the Democratic convention is a “national special security event,” for which the Secret Service is responsible. That means extensive road closures, vehicle searches and, closer to the event venues, TSA-style checks.
The closures will also impact area businesses looking to cash in. At Su Taqueria El Rey Del Taco near the United Center, workers braced for a rush of conventioneers and were even prepared to come by bike if car stops took too long.
“We’re going to open our doors,” said cashier Chris Garcia. “We’re excited and ready to go.”
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How many protesters in Chicago?
Marches were allowed Sunday night, most of Monday, and then again Thursday, for groups ranging from the Coalition for Reproductive Justice and LGBTQ+ Liberation to the US Palestinian Community Network. The city also set up a “speakers platform” in a park a few blocks north of the United Center.
Experts say the Gaza-focused “March for the DNC 2024” will likely be the largest demonstration, with marches planned for Monday and Thursday starting at Union Park, a few blocks northeast of the United Center. Cook County, home to Chicago, is also home to the country’s largest Palestinian-American community.
Organizers of the “March on the DNC” are pushing for the party to end Israel’s war in Gaza, reduce mass incarceration and limit migrant deportations.
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More protests are expected. Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws, a group that wants Democratic leaders to do more to protect LGBTQ and reproductive rights, planned to march Sunday night on Michigan Avenue, near where many delegates will be staying. Organizers expected 3,000 people.
A “March on the RNC” protest in Milwaukee last month was expected to draw 5,000 people, organizers said, but only 500 showed up.
City officials say they are carefully balancing the rights of protesters with the need to maintain public safety, including the flow of fire trucks and ambulances. Police have said they are prepared to arrest anyone blocking traffic, breaking windows or damaging property.
Police Commissioner Snelling also reassured residents that his officers would continue to patrol the city. Police from Milwaukee and other cities are helping to provide security inside the convention.
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“We don’t forget that we have a city to protect. It’s not just the grounds of the Democratic National Convention,” Snelling said. “Chicago police will be in every neighborhood to protect neighborhoods.”
Taking no chances, some businesses will close their doors during the convention. Among them, the two high-end establishments of Solo Salon, in the West Loop neighborhood.
“A lot of our employees have come to us and are concerned about having their cars parked on the street, having customers cancel and our valet business not wanting to work because the city is closing down a lot of streets,” said owner Kristine Singer. “If we’re not going to be able to run our full capacity, it just makes sense to listen to our team and make the right decision that’s best for us.”
Singer remembers the “frightening violence” of 2020 and doesn’t want to risk losing her business, which she’s been with for nearly 20 years. She considered boarding up storefronts at the last minute.
“In the long run, prevention is better than cure.”
