Pro-Palestinian activists protest outside DNC in Chicago

DW (English)

Protesters showed their dismay with the US government's continuing support of Israel’s war in Gaza outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Police had to de-escalate after some participants breached a security fence.

Transcript

00:00It was a peaceful day of marching in protest for an estimated crowd of around 5,000 in Chicago

00:06until it wasn't anymore. A small group of activists takes matters in a different direction.

00:13Fences fall quickly, a security perimeter is swiftly breached and then everything is over

00:18as quickly as the tussle had begun. Police bring reinforcements,

00:22arrest three or more protesters and push everyone else back into a small park nearby.

00:30Just a few hours before, a very different scene.

00:36The protest, organized by a coalition organization of more than 250 different groups,

00:42started peaceful as a loud show of force showcasing the attendees' dismay

00:47with the U.S. government's continuing support for Israel's war in Gaza.

00:51The main thing that we're demanding is an end to all USAID to Israel.

00:56You know, this genocide has been going on for almost a year now. It's 319 days today.

01:01And at any point, you know, I don't want to hear anything about, oh, they're trying to work for a

01:06ceasefire because at any point they could have picked up the phone and told them to stop what

01:10they're doing. People at the march are coming from all over the country but are unified in

01:17the anger of how President Biden, but also Vice President Kamala Harris, handle what protesters

01:24say amounts to genocide of the Palestinians in Gaza. Voting for Kamala Harris in November?

01:30Out of the question for many, but not for all.

01:33That's why we're out here. Get the Democrats to stay in or Trump. It's not going to change.

01:39We've got to be in the streets.

01:41I'll probably vote for her. A lot of people here won't.

01:44So I hope like Harris, you know, like comes out with a policy that is, that reflects

01:53this kind of, you know, movement that we're having here. And then she, you know, like

02:03moves towards like ending this war.

02:06This time, the marchers didn't make it close to the Democratic National Convention at the

02:10United Center in Chicago. However, there's always tomorrow, they say.

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