The 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) is scheduled to take place next week from August 19-22, 2024 in Chicago.
However, the city is bracing for the chaos of up to 100,000 pro-Hamas protesters flooding the streets and has instituted new courtroom procedures to streamline the process in the event of mass arrests.
It is also hoping to avoid the bad optics of the 1968 DNC convention that saw then-Mayor Richard J. Daley ring the convention site with barbed wire and ultimately call in the National Guard to quell the violence.
According to Axios, congressional security officials are advising House Democrats attending the DNC not to book hotel rooms under their own names or engage with protesters if confronted for what will likely be a not-so-peaceful protest.
The guidance comes as some Democratic lawmakers are fearful about their safety after being rattled by a series of disruptive pro-Palestinian protests since the Israel-Hamas war started last year.
- One House Democrat told Axios they are “very concerned” about their personal security and that “of course” other lawmakers are as well.
- A senior House Democrat said law enforcement is telling members “not to go to a certain area, because they expect violence.”
- “The protesters aren’t staying in a designated protest site … and there are people who are going to go and really try to cause trouble,” the lawmaker predicted.
In guidance sent to Democratic congressional offices and obtained by Axios, the House sergeant-at-arms’ office wrote, “If you are confronted by protesters, try not to engage and report to [Capitol Police].”
Chicago has been generous with the permit requests for the pro-Hamas crowd.
While permission has been granted for a coalition of pro-Palestinian activists to demonstrate, organizers for the Israeli American Council (IAC) say the City has been sitting on a request from the pro-Israel group to hold a solidarity march.
Not everyone is convinced the city is prepared to handle hordes of angry Democrats.
In June, Chicago’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report warning that the city and the Chicago Police Department (CPD) are unprepared for the protestors.
Chicago is already facing a crisis with a major shortage of police officers.
At a public forum with the Commission for Public Safety and Accountability last week, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said, “What we’re doing right now is making the best with the number of officers that we have.”