CHICAGO (NewsNation) — A court hearing Monday will determine where pro-Palestinian demonstrations can take place during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago.
The group March on the DNC 2024 plans to gather at Union Park during the convention, about a 10-minute walk from the convention’s site at the United Center.
Expecting tens of thousands of protesters, they want a larger route on the main streets to accommodate everyone.
Additionally, the group aims to highlight the suffering of the Palestinian people and call for an end to the war in Gaza regardless of the 2024 presidential election candidates.
What steps are police taking to ensure protests stay peaceful?
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling says that officers will protect the protesters’ First Amendment rights, but they must stay within the defined demonstration zones, which will be within the sight and sound of the United Center.
The exact locations of those demonstration zones will be determined at a hearing Monday.
More than 500 officers from other cities will assist the Chicago Police Department (CPD) during the convention. They will be police trained in handling large-scale protests and First Amendment rights.
The police perimeter will be based on a bomb assessment and blast radius. Police have been training for over a year to prepare for the DNC, practicing crowd control tactics. However, the city’s inspector general has warned that these tactics could escalate tensions and constitutional violations against protesters who are legally present.
Security will be heightened after Trump shooting
Given the already contentious election cycle, including an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, the CPD is under intense pressure to ensure adequate preparations.
The police have made it clear that they won’t tolerate any violence or vandalism at the DNC.
As the last national special security event in Chicago was the 2012 NATO Summit, CPD is using past experiences to guide their preparations for the upcoming convention.