Al Jazeera witnesses violent arrest of two hijab-wearing ladies as hundreds in Chicago rally for Palestinian rights.
Chicago, United States – Chants echoed by way of the streets across the United Middle in Chicago, the place hundreds of Democratic delegates and supporters gathered on Wednesday to formally nominate Kamala Harris because the social gathering’s presidential candidate.
“Similar to 1968, there’s nothing to have a good time!” the Palestinian rights protesters shouted, highlighting the parallels they see between this Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the final time the gathering was held within the Windy Metropolis amid a violent crackdown on anti-Vietnam struggle protesters.
Simply as Democratic candidate Hubert Humphrey misplaced the 1968 race to Richard Nixon, the demonstrators are warning Harris that they won’t help her except she ends the USA’ unconditional help for Israel.
Wednesday was the third day of the conference and the third day of the Gaza protests.
“DNC your arms are pink, over 40,000 lifeless,” the protesters chanted as they waved Palestinian flags whereas marching within the streets.
Law enforcement officials dragged a row of bicycles – forming a transferring chain – on the aspect of the street alongside the march to maintain protesters on the authorised path.
Each time the protest got here near the conference centre, a wall of dozens of law enforcement officials blocked the street resulting in the safety perimeter that had been established across the venue.
A police helicopter hovered above the protest all through.
Jinan Chehade, one of many activists main the chants, agreed that Wednesday’s protest had been the most important of the 2024 conference.
“The turnout is superb, and it’s a mirrored image of our name for justice and the way large the Palestinian motion in Chicago is,” Chehade informed Al Jazeera.
The protesters expressed anger and ache by way of their chants and posters over the struggle on Gaza, the place Israel has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians up to now 10 months. However the demonstration remained peaceable.
Al Jazeera witnessed law enforcement officials violently arrest two younger ladies at a transit station.
Because the demonstration snaked by way of the road resulting in the Damen transit station, a number of journalists and a few demonstrators rushed to the elevated prepare platform that overlooks the street to take aerial footage of the group.
Regulation enforcement brokers reminded folks that pictures was prohibited on the station, however their orders had been largely ignored as journalists and protesters, together with {many professional} photographers, continued to snap footage.
Law enforcement officials, nonetheless, singled out two ladies sporting the hijab and after a short change, they wrestled them to the bottom and handcuffed them.
Demonstrators gathered across the law enforcement officials and chanted, “Allow them to go”. In the meantime, extra regulation enforcement brokers confirmed up on the scene to escort the 2 ladies and arresting officers out of the station.
Officers didn’t reply to a number of questions by Al Jazeera on why the 2 visibly Muslim ladies had been arrested out of greater than two dozen individuals taking photographs on the platform.
The Chicago Police Division additionally didn’t instantly return a request for remark.
More protests are scheduled on Thursday when the conference is ready to conclude with Harris accepting the Democratic nomination.
Chicago is dwelling to 1 the most important Palestinian communities within the US. Lizette Garza, a social justice activist, stated individuals of varied backgrounds within the metropolis had been “grieving” for the atrocities in Gaza alongside Palestinians.
“It’s actually essential for Chicago notably as a liberal metropolis to characterize and to be antiwar when our households and communities are hurting a lot,” Garza informed Al Jazeera.
