CHICAGO (AP) — As participants filtered out Democratic National Convention On its final night on Thursday, they were met with chants from pro-Palestinian protesters.
The group chanted “ceasefire now” and “shame” as a woman draped a campaign sign for the Kamala Harris/Tim Walls ticket over her head.
David Peterson, 50, said he wanted to advocate for the voices of Palestinians, especially within the conference.
He said that everyone who speaks up is going to save a life. “It’s an opportunity, a window of opportunity.”
The protests in the final hours of the convention ended much as they began earlier this week — largely peaceful with a family-friendly atmosphere.
A final large-scale protest ended on a hopeful note, as Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on the DNC stage. Occupying the road under the train tracks on Lake Street for about 30 minutes, the demonstrators roared: “We are young, we are strong, we will march all night.”
Only a few dozen protesters clashed briefly with police late Thursday near Union Park. The small group had planned to march towards the convention center, but were blocked by lines of riot police who shouted “move back” as they pushed into the group. Several of the protesters surged forward, some hurling wooden planks at the officers.
Officers handcuffed an activist waving a large black flag on a busy street. Another officer rolled up the flag and carried it away. Demonstrator leaders soon instructed the remaining protesters to go home.
In Union Park before the march, the grassy grounds were strewn with Palestinian flags, and a speaker system played Palestinian dance songs. The coalition organized the March to March at the DNC, a group of more than 200 organizations that held a similar event Monday night.
The march began with a crowd of thousands slowly making their way through the residential areas surrounding the United Center. Some wore red T-shirts that read “Not in our name,” while others held signs that read “Stop American aid to Israel.” Pausing along the march route toward the convention center, they chanted: “DNC, you’ll see. Palestine will be free.
There was a heavy police presence as protesters walked the United Center’s barricades, including where a small group of activists broke through the outer perimeter fence earlier in the week. Apart from police on two-wheelers, 100 officers and more than 20 law enforcement vehicles in riot gear followed the marchers along the route.
As protesters slowly approached Union Park, where the rally began for more than two hours, marchers shook tambourines, drums and chanted over the top of the train: “I believe we will win.”
Protesters sought to draw attention to the absence of Palestinian voices in the arena hosting the DNC. Lisa Pint, a 61-year-old volunteer who stood on the edge of the crowd and wore buttons supporting the Democratic ticket of Harris and Tim Walls, said she wanted to see the protest as a “neutral” observer. But after speaking with an activist, Bint said he came to the conclusion that the Palestinian voice should have been represented on the conference stage.
“I didn’t think about it until a protester said it. It’s a good thing,” said Pint, a nurse in suburban Chicago. “I’m really strong for Kamala and Walls, but they should have been included.”
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Leaders of the “Uncertain” movement, which won hundreds of thousands of votes in Democratic primaries across the country in opposition to the Israel-Hamas war, expressed frustration ahead of the convention. Weekly negotiations A Palestinian American was barred from getting a speaking slot at the DNC.
Chicago police said Thursday they will not change their tactics and are prepared for a final night of pro-Palestine demonstrations. Democratic National Convention, After a peaceful march, there were no injuries or arrests.
Wednesday night, More than 2,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched peacefully through a park where pro-Israel demonstrators had previously gathered. That demonstration came a day later Violent conflicts A much smaller, unsanctioned protest between police and protesters outside the Israeli consulate in downtown Chicago resulted in 56 arrests.
