Authorities, businesses brace for up to 100,000 pro-Palestine protestors at Democratic convention

Authorities and local businesses are bracing for thousands of pro-Palestine protestors to descend on the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which kicks off on Monday.

Bracing for riots and looting, some businesses located downtown have already started boarding up windows and doors in preparation for potential protest violence as the convention begins. It's not as if they haven't been warned: Some anti-Israel protestors have compared their plans to the 1968 riots during the Democratic convention.

"I think people really need to see it as the equivalent of the 1968 DNC in Chicago," said Deanna Othman, a resident of Little Palestine, Chicago, which has a substantial population of Palestinian-Americans, according to The Washington Post.

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling rejected the notion that a repeat of 1968 will occur, adding that the city is ready for protests.

"It's not 1968. Our officers are trained differently," he said, referencing when anti-war protesters and police violently clashed in Chicago. "The department has evolved. Our officers have evolved. We've been training for this event for over a year, so the preparedness is what's important," Snelling told NBC's WMAQ.

Snelling said his department will "not allow people to come here and destroy the city" during the convention. 

“The moment that starts, we’re going to intervene. I’m not going to wait until it gets out of control,” he said.

Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer said security preparations for the convention started "well over a year" ago, according to an ABC7 report.

"The Chicago Police Department is among 17 public safety entities, including the Secret Service, that belong to the executive steering committee. That committee oversaw development of the DNC security plan and included input from experts on topics including national intelligence, airspace, security, traffic control and more," Mayer said.

While Muslim leaders and organizations have predicted that as many as 100,000 demonstrators could gather in Chicago to protest the war in Gaza, the city government delivered a setback for protestors looking to get as close as possible to the United Center where the convention is taking place.

The city denied permit requests from the U.S. Palestinian Community Network for stages and sound systems in a large park close to the United Center. A judge presided over an emergency hearing on the matter Thursday but a final resolution was not reached.

Some activists were blasting Mayor Brandon Johnson, a Democrat, for placing additional restrictions on their protest plans at the last minute.

So far, there are two parks near the United Center that have been approved for pro-Palestine demonstrations.

According to a report on Thursday, one activist quoted a letter their group received from the city: “No stages or platforms, portable restrooms or toilets, tents or canopies, or sound equipment may be installed by your organization.”

“Many of these restrictions, but especially ‘no sound equipment,’ is an unvarnished attempt to silence dissenting voices, in violation of the right to free speech,” a statement from the Coalition to March on the Democratic National Convention said. “Tens of thousands are expected to march, and amplified sound is critical not only to making sure their message is heard, but also to giving clear direction to the crowd about when and where to march.”

Pro-Palestinian groups have been threatening violence. "Make bruises from Chicago police batons the 2024 back to school Fall fashion!” one so-called anti-imperialist organization, Behind Enemy Lines, told its members on its website, under a headline reading "Make 2024 as Great as 1968!" 

According to The New York Sun, the organization was identified as a potential threat to the DNC by law enforcement earlier in August and further instructs its members to “bold and audacious, take the frontlines, and yes, take police beatings and arrests to oppose Genocide Joe.” 

The emergency hearing regarding the permits was ultimately cancelled on Friday and protest groups received concessions from the city, including stages, sound systems and portable toilets.

In a separate case, a federal judge on August 13 rejected an argument made by four advocacy groups that the city’s suggested protest route violated their First Amendment rights. The groups involved include the Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, the Anti-War Committee, Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

The groups said they would proceed with appealing the decision. The status of that appeal is unclear.

The convention runs from Monday through Thursday night.