Chicago is preparing for tens of thousands of protesters, mainly motivated by the conflict in Gaza, during the Democratic National Convention.
Protesters gathered in Union Park on Monday morning in anticipation of demonstrations set to start at noon.
An organizer mentioned that charter buses are being used to transport protesters to the city.
“So we have around 100 people boarding buses… Experienced drivers will bring them here, they will have breakfast before reaching the park,” a protester informed Scripps News.
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The protesters intend to march towards the United Center, where the Democratic National Convention is taking place. However, the proximity to the arena remains uncertain due to security measures implemented.
“We have been preparing for this for over a year and we are ready for any number of people who choose to come to Chicago,” stated Chicago Police Department Superintendent Larry B. Snelling.
While the Monday march is predicted to be larger, anti-war demonstrators took to the streets on Sunday night without any major incidents. However, a pro-Palestinian protester was removed from a DNC event at Navy Pier on Sunday night after seizing a microphone and protesting the casualties in Gaza, labeling it as genocide.
The U.S. and Israel have consistently refuted claims of genocide in Gaza, placing responsibility on Hamas for the initial attacks on October 7 that led to the escalation.
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