Protesters broke through a security fence near the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on its opening day on Monday, as thousands took to the streets to voice opposition to the war in Gaza.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker confirmed to reporters that there was a breach, saying that “it was brief.”
“The police actually stepped in and did a great job; the superintendent of police came and backed up his own men. And, frankly, that’s the way it’s going to be,” he said.
“Obviously, we’ve got people who are concerned about the war in the Middle East, and they’re going to express themselves. And we’re going to protect their right to express themselves, but we’re not going to stand for any mayhem.”
During a protest march, a few dozen broke away and tore down pieces of the security fence. Video footage showed that demonstrators removed one of the panels. Several who had managed to get through were detained by police and handcuffed. Officers donned gas masks as some protesters tried to bring down a second fence set up in front of police.
The inner security perimeter surrounding the convention site was not breached and “there was no threat” to those attending the convention, the statement said, adding that security for the event “employs a multi-layered approach” with inner and outer perimeter fences.
“Our job here is to make sure that we keep the DNC safe and keep our city safe,” Police Superintendent Larry Snelling told reporters. “We have no idea what they would have done had that gotten onto the other side. But as I’ve said before, we’re not going to tolerate anyone that is going to vandalize things in our city.
“We are not going to tolerate anyone who [is] going to commit acts of violence.”
Protesters were heard chanting against the Israeli and U.S. governments over the Gaza conflict that erupted following a Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7 that left 1,200 civilians dead and about 250 kidnapped. Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel demonstrations and riots have taken place across college campuses throughout 2024.
Demonstration organizers said they had hoped at least 20,000 people would come to Monday’s rally and march. Reporters on the scene and livestream footage suggested that only a few thousand showed up. City officials declined to give a crowd estimate.
Another large protest is scheduled for Thursday, when Vice President Kamala Harris is slated to speak.
This past week, Snelling said that police will not allow a repeat of the violence that plagued the 1968 Chicago Democratic convention.
“It’s not 1968. Our officers are trained differently,” he told Chicago-area station WMAQ-TV, referring to the infamous demonstrations and riots against the Vietnam War.
“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.”
