As delegates arrive in Chicago on Sunday ahead of the Democratic National Convention, protesters plan to march along Michigan Avenue. On Monday, as the political show begins inside the United Center, demonstrators say they will gather by the thousands outside. And as the convention goes on, activists say, so too will the protests, every single day, showcasing divisions on the left during a week when Vice President Kamala Harris is trying to project Democratic unity and enthusiasm.
From the moment the Democrats chose Chicago as the site for their nominating convention, it was a foregone conclusion that protesters would show up in large numbers. The city has a long tradition of left-wing activism, and nominating conventions tend to attract demonstrations.
But as the war in Gaza left tens of thousands dead and divided the Democratic Party, expectations for large protests heightened, as did the memories of protests devolving into clashes with the Chicago police outside the party’s 1968 convention.
City officials have argued in recent days with activist groups over protest details, including the length of a march route and whether a sound system will be allowed. Still, the city, long led and dominated by Democrats, has sought to convey an openness to the demonstrations and confidence that everything will go smoothly.
Security Perimeters and Chicago’s Proposed Route for the Coalition to March on the D.N.C.
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Pedestrian restricted perimeter
Vehicle screening perimeter
City’s proposed march route
N. Damen Ave.
CHICAGO
Union Park
W. Lake St.
Park #578
W. Washington Blvd.
N. Hoyne Ave.
United Center
W. Madison Ave
S. Paulina St.
N. Ashland Ave.
W. Adams St.
W. Jackson Blvd.
Pedestrian restricted perimeter
Vehicle screening perimeter
City’s proposed march route
CHICAGO
N. Damen Ave.
Union Park
W. Lake St.
Park #578
W. Washington Blvd.
N. Ashland Ave.
N. Hoyne Ave.
N. Leavitt St.
United Center
W. Madison Ave.
S. Paulina St.
W. Adams St.
W. Jackson Blvd.
“It has to be safe and peaceful and vibrant and energetic,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former labor organizer who was elected last year on a liberal platform, and who talks frequently about his own history of demonstrating. “We’re ready for this moment.”
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Source: Elections - nytimes.com
