(Patriot.Buzz) – On the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, pro-Palestine demonstrators wreaked havoc and breached the security fence near the venue to stage a significant protest against the ongoing war in Gaza.
Families, students and local leaders were among the thousands who marched toward the United Center, where the convention was taking place.
Their main demand was a ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
While the majority of the group marched peacefully, a smaller contingent broke away and broke parts of a security fence surrounding the venue.
Police intervened swiftly to arrest these protesters. Officers were prepared with gas masks but did not resort to using batons or chemical agents.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling emphasized that acts of vandalism would not be tolerated and highlighted the police remained committed to maintaining order without excessive force.
“When you have people infiltrate a crowd and they want to commit acts of violence, vandalism, we are going to stop them,” stated Snelling. “We are not going to tolerate anyone who is going to vandalize things in our city.”
The protest attempted to mirror historical anti-war demonstrations, with chants like “End the occupation now” and “The whole world is watching!”
These phrases were used at the 1968 anti-Vietnam War protests during the Democrat convention in Chicago.
This specific convention became infamous for TV broadcasts of live clashes between demonstrators and police.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden was preparing for his evening speech inside the United Center amid criticism from pro-Palestinian groups.
Said groups have labeled the Democrat “Genocide Joe” in their chants, accusing him of supporting actions they view as oppressive.
Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Taylor Cook also blasted Kamala Harris during his demands to stop sending aid to Israel.
“We’re saying to Kamala, she has been complicit in this. People think it’s just Joe Biden, but she is vice president,” Cook expressed. “So we’re saying, You need to stop if you want our vote.”
Despite the intense atmosphere, the protest remained largely peaceful, with no major confrontations reported.
Although organizers sought to gather at least 20,000 people outside the convention venue, their calls only managed to rally a few thousand.
“We’re proud of the turnout, especially considering the degree of the repression from the city,” organizer Faayani Aboma Mijana argued.
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