Protesters plan large marches, rallies to kick off Democratic National Convention in Chicago

CHICAGO (AP) — Huge crowds of activists are expected to gather in Chicago this week for protests outside the Democratic National Convention, expected to draw attention to issues equivalent to economic injustice, reproductive rights and the war in Gaza.

As Vice President Kamala Harris has mobilized the party as she prepares to accept the Democratic nomination, activists say their demonstration plans haven’t modified. They are ready to reinforce their progressive message to the nation’s top Democratic leaders.

Their issues include climate change, abortion rights and racial equality, to name just a few, but many activists agree that an instantaneous ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas is the overarching message of the demonstrations. They compared it to the Vietnam War of their generation. The Chicago area has one in all the biggest Palestinian communities in the country, and buses bring activists to Chicago from across the country. Organizers estimate that turnout for Monday’s march and rally, the primary day of the convention, might be a minimum of 20,000.

“We must play our part in the middle of this to stop the genocide, end US aid to Israel and stand with Palestine,” said Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesman for the Coalition for a March on the Democratic National Congress.

The coalition is made up of tons of of organizations, including students. Activists say they’ve learned from last month’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. They expect larger crowds and more determined demonstrations throughout the week.

The first protest Sunday night brought together people calling for abortion, LGBTQ+ rights and an end to the war in Gaza. The march lasted for hours, along a police-marked route, and showed no signs of great conflict. Chicago police said two people were arrested on misdemeanor charges of resisting police and destruction of property.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who was considered to be Harris’ vice presidential candidate, said peaceful protests were welcome.

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“There are a lot of people in the room who will believe some of these messages and carry them with them,” Pritzker told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “But importantly, the Democratic Party does not exclude people and prevent them from expressing their First Amendment rights.”

Some, nonetheless, have concerns about safety, fearing the protests could turn out to be unpredictable or descend into chaos.

Chicago, which has hosted more political conventions than another U.S. city, couldn’t avoid comparisons to the infamous 1968 convention where police and anti-Vietnam War protesters clashed violently, broadcast survive television.

Some businesses have boarded up their windows as a precaution, and county courts have said they are going to open more doors in the event of mass arrests. Chicago police say officers have received extensive training in constitutional policing and de-escalation tactics.

Coalition activists and the town have disagreed over the situation of the protests and other logistical issues. A judge sided with the town over a roughly 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) march route that organizers say will not be large enough for the expected crowds. Abudayyeh said the coalition will proceed to push for a for much longer route until the march begins Monday.

Also Monday, the Philadelphia Army of the Poor, which campaigns for economic justice, plans to rally in Humboldt Park on Chicago’s Northwest Side. The event will feature independent candidates Jill Stein and Cornel West, in addition to a 3-mile (5-kilometer) march.

In addition to the protests, the town can also be establishing a stage for speakers in a park outside the convention center with 45-minute slots. Most of the organizations which have signed up have the identical progressive agenda because the coalition, however the Israeli American Council and the conservative Illinois Policy Institute are also on the list. The local firefighters union also hopes to draw attention to their fight for a contract with the town.

“The First Amendment is the bedrock of our democracy,” Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former union organizer, told the AP in an interview last week. “I will do everything in my power to protect the right to protest assembly.”