Thousands march against Gaza war at Democratic Alliance rally By Reuters

By Andrea Shalal and Bianca Flowers

CHICAGO – Thousands of peaceful pro-Palestinian protesters marched through Chicago on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention on Monday, demonstrating violently against the Biden administration's support for Israel in the Gaza war.

After the peaceful protests, dozens of protesters broke through part of the security fence, drawing riot police to the area, a Reuters witness said.

The DNC's security team confirmed that protesters broke down part of a fence in an outdoor area near the convention center but said law enforcement responded quickly and there was no immediate threat to anyone in attendance.

Reuters witnesses saw four people arrested and handcuffed. The DNC's security team did not respond to a request for comment on whether those protesters were arrested.

The chanting intensified before the cordon was broken, as protesters arrived at a neighborhood park on Chicago's West Side and paused to amplify their calls for an end to the shooting. In the din, the crowd turned their frustrations on Vice President Kamala Harris, calling the Democratic candidate “Killer Kamala”.

Chicago police set up a perimeter around the park on foot to contain the protesters, with some officers on bicycles.

Still, the umbrella group “March on the DNC” drew fewer supporters than expected in a park outside the convention center, hours before President Joe Biden was scheduled to address the convention.

They began a one-mile march near where Democratic delegates will nominate Harris as their candidate to face Republican Donald Trump in November's presidential election.

Organizers were expecting tens of thousands of protesters – enough to fill the park and the march route – Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesman for the March on the DNC, said early Monday. By afternoon, however, several thousand protesters had gathered to speak and the park was half full.

The coalition of more than 200 groups includes those who represent a variety of causes from reproductive rights to racial justice. Many people came from the Palestinian and Arab communities in Illinois and neighboring counties, organizers said last week.

Roman Fritz, at 19 one of Wisconsin's youngest guests, wore a scarf patterned with a traditional Palestinian keffiyeh pattern. He said he supports Harris as the party's nominee to beat Trump.

A number of Muslim delegations and their allies, angry at the US support for Israel's attack on Gaza, want changes in the Democratic Alliance and plan to impose an arms embargo, putting the group to watch out for the disruption of high-level speeches in the meeting.

Some protesters were skeptical that the party would change its platform.

“It won't happen,” said Mwalimu Sundiata Keita, who traveled from Cincinnati, Ohio, to join the protest. “It is the party's policy to support Israel, and until that policy changes, it will remain so.”

Another large demonstration was planned for Thursday, when Harris will formally accept the nomination.

Pro-Palestinian groups have been protesting for months the Biden administration's military and financial support for Israel in its war against Hamas, which has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza health officials.

Israel launched the offensive after an October 7 attack by Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli figures.

Demonstrations are common on American college campuses this spring, with police clearing student encampments, sometimes after clashes between protesters and counter-protesters.

“The Democrats are in charge,” Abudayyeh said Monday. “It's their fight. They're facing it, they're united, and they can stop it.”