CHICAGO, Illinois, United States — On the second day of the Democratic National Convention, a clash erupted between protesters, who have been activists for decades, and law enforcement at the Israeli consulate in Chicago.
Amid chants of “Let them go!” in Spanish, the scene became tense as a small group of politicians quickly fled the area and police, armed with truncheons, ordered the crowd to retreat, effectively blocking their advance down the street.
At the same time, a group of protesters burned an American flag, visible from the United Center about 2 miles away, where delegates were casting their votes for Vice President Kamala Harris. Several protesters waved Palestinian flags, and many were dressed in black with their faces obscured.
The clash escalated when protesters approached a barricade of riot police guarding the consulate. Through a megaphone, one officer ordered the crowd to disperse immediately. In defiance, a leading protester shouted back through her own megaphone, declaring her fearlessness.
A protester, wearing a Chicago Bulls cap and a mask, rallied the crowd to disrupt the convention, symbolized by the acronym “CND.”
This group, distinct from the more than 200 organizations involved in previous protests, had called for a significant turnout under the slogan “Let’s go big like ’68,” referring to the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention protests against the Vietnam War.
Security was tight, with Chicago police restricting access to the consulate, leaving only one heavily guarded entrance open. Nearby businesses opted to close for the duration. Despite the protests, Metra spokeswoman Martha Hill confirmed that train service continued without interruption.
The sites of the previous night’s protests remained quiet. After the month-long demonstrations, three people were arrested in connection with a minor disturbance at a security checkpoint near the United Center, the mayor of Chicago told the police superintendent.
