CHICAGO—Protests over the Biden–Harris administration’s Israel policy marked the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Aug. 19.
A significant moment was the breach of fencing at Park 578, a nondescript city park in a residential neighborhood. It was about as close as protesters got to the United Center, the site of the main speeches throughout the evening, about two blocks away.
The Chicago Police Department’s special division for news on the DNC told The Epoch Times that details on arrests would be provided on Aug. 20 at a morning press conference. But footage on social media showed confrontations between protesters and law enforcement in the park.
Protests the previous evening in Chicago led to two arrests.
From the United Center side of Washington Boulevard, the breached fencing looked like a half-toothless jaw after sections had been pushed down.
While the outer fencing was just one security layer of many between attendees and the demonstrators, the Palestinian and “Progress Pride” flags were visible from just outside the United Center, where Democrats from across the country had gathered.
“Law enforcement personnel were immediately on-scene and contained the situation,” a representative of the DNC Public Safety Joint Information Center told The Epoch Times in an email.
By 5:10 p.m. local time, a line of riot police in blue helmets faced the fence. One man, who appeared to be on his phone, was sitting on the fence between the protesters and police.
“[The police] seemed very unenthusiastic,” a protester who would not share his name told The Epoch Times. “They just seemed annoyed to have to babysit the kids.”
One chant likened the Chicago Police Department, or CPD, to the Ku Klux Klan, or KKK. Other signs disparaged Secretary of State Antony Blinken and President Joe Biden.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations told The Epoch Times it expected 100,000 protesters to turn out for the DNC. Yet, at least on day one, the activities in and beyond Union Park were much smaller in scale—on the order of a few thousand demonstrators.
The march to the United Center started hours of speeches.
The people who showed up to Union Park to head west had a range of views.
Shawn Campbell was waving a gigantic American flag and a shirt that read “Vote 2024.”
He was effectively leading a one-man counter-protest to anti-American sentiment that he linked to pro-Palestinian protesters. Some demonstrators desecrated American flags in Washington during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress earlier this year.
Dennis Dodson’s sign warned of Israel and investment company BlackRock’s roles in American wars.
“The military-industrial complex is funded by large financial institutions,” he told The Epoch Times.
While noting he was more on the left, he said that some on the right and the left are beginning to come together on certain issues—in particular, opposition to massive financial players such as BlackRock and concern regarding the divisive effect of identity politics.
One sign read, “AIPAC = Legalized Corruption.” AIPAC, or the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is a major pro-Israel lobbying organization in the United States.
By nightfall, the Park 578 protest had died down. Police officer Efrain Torres told The Epoch Times he hadn’t heard about any significant ongoing activity in the area.
In Union Park, there was a small knot of remaining protesters near Washington Boulevard and Ashland Avenue. One man waved a gigantic Palestinian flag.
Fatiyah, who was waiting for her Uber, told The Epoch Times she believed the protests, including the confrontation in the park, had aided the cause of Palestine.
Nearby, Christians from the Chicago For Jesus group were preaching the gospel.
Peter Cinko, who wore a “Jesus 2024” ball cap, told The Epoch Times he did not know enough about the Israel–Palestine conflict to have a strong opinion on either side.
“I acknowledge there is a conflict. I would say that violence is never the answer,” he said.
Other protests are planned throughout the week, including the final day of the DNC on Aug. 22. Demonstrations are expected outside the Israeli consulate on Aug. 20.
