The Democratic National Convention runs from Monday to Thursday in Chicago. Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters, who accuse Democrats of being too defensive of Israel, are expected to attend.
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Democrats will meet from Monday, August 19 in Chicago, Illinois, through Thursday to officially inaugurate Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate. The vice president, who replaced Joe Biden a month ago, has been riding high in recent weeks, with polls slowly shifting between her and Donald Trump. But behind the party atmosphere, security is at the heart of the concerns at the Democratic Party convention. Major rallies are planned on the sidelines of the event to demand an end to the war in Gaza.
Arab Americans have criticized Joe Biden for being too pro-Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. Protesters plan to mobilize starting Monday at noon and every day of the convention until Thursday. Law enforcement is expecting demonstrations of up to 25,000 people.
To prevent hundreds of injuries and arrests at the 1968 convention during the Vietnam War, the FBI, the Secret Service and the city police have been working on security for a year. Nearly 2,500 city police officers and hundreds of reinforcements from elsewhere are deployed around the United Center, the enormous sports complex where the convention is held and where the Chicago Bulls basketball players usually reside.
The neighborhood has been cordoned off, with barriers and concrete blocks erected around it, and businesses are boarded up in places. County courts have extended hours in case of mass arrests, and many judges are ready to be mobilized to handle those arrests. The Democratic Party has even reportedly asked some elected officials not to book hotels in their names to avoid potential confrontations with protesters.
