Pro-Palestine protesters march outside Democratic National Convention in Chicago News
Leonhard Lenz // Public domain
Pro-Palestine protesters march outside Democratic National Convention in Chicago

A coalition of pro-Palestine protesters demonstrated outside of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Monday. Their main demand is to “end U.S. aid to Israel,” calling the current Democratic Party “progressive except for Palestine.”

The coalition of protesters represents over one-hundred different progressive groups, ranging from large groups like Black Lives Matter Chicago to other smaller organizations like Central Florida Queers for Palestine. On top of concerns over Palestine, the protests focus on a range of progressive issues like LGBTQIA+ protection and community control over the police. The groups drew thousands of protesters to their program of events directly outside the DNC venue. According to the Chicago Police Department, some protesters breached anti-scale fencing surrounding the convention, but none broke their inner perimeter. 

Inside the venue, prominent Democrats toed the line on Israel-Palestine, an issue that has become all the more contentious since the current stage of the conflict began after the Hamas attacks on October 7. In a speech on Monday, New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) spoke about Harris’ progressive bona fides. She claimed that Harris is “working tirelessly to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.” However, protesters did not seem satisfied with that message. Later in the day, while President Joe Biden spoke, protesters unveiled a banner saying “Stop Arming Israel.” The banner was blocked by signs, the protesters were escorted out, and supporters began chanting “We Love Joe.”

The desire to decrease weapons transfers to Israel is not foreign to the Democratic Party. In April, 40 Democratic Representatives wrote to Biden requesting him to halt offensive weapons transfers to Israel. Biden continued weapons transfers and Harris has not indicated she would depart from that policy. Instead, both Biden and Harris have emphasized their desire to achieve a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

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