‘It’s not 1968. Our officers are trained differently,’ the head of Chicago’s police department said.
The head of the Chicago Police Department said that his law enforcement agency is ready for potentially thousands of protesters descending on the Democratic National Convention (DNC), slated to be held this week in Chicago.
“It’s not 1968. Our officers are trained differently,” Police Supt. Larry Snelling told Chicago-area station WMAQ-TV in reference to the infamous 1968 demonstrations and riots at the DNC against the Vietnam War.
“The department has evolved. Our officers have evolved. We’ve been training for this event for over a year, so the preparedness is what’s important,” he said.
Roughly 50,000 people are expected in Chicago for the convention, including thousands of anti-Israel war activists who plan to demonstrate near the United Center where Vice President Kamala Harris will officially accept the party’s nomination, officials have said.
The largest group, the Coalition to March on the DNC, has planned demonstrations on the first and last days of the convention. Organizers with that group say they expect at least 20,000 people, including students who protested the Israel–Hamas conflict on college campuses.
“The people with power are going to be there,” said Liz Rathburn, a University of Illinois Chicago organizer of protests. “People inside the United Center are the people who are going to be deciding our foreign policy in one way or another.”
March on the DNC’s website, which mentions President Joe Biden and not Harris, said it will kick off its march and protests on Aug. 19, making frequent references to the Gaza conflict but also other left-wing policy proposals.
“We are calling on other grassroots organizations that are fighting for exploited and oppressed people to unite with us as we take the demands of the people to the Democratic Party in August 2024,” the site says.
Since the start of the conflict last October after Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 Israeli civilians and kidnapped another 250, protests against the ensuing conflict have erupted across college campuses throughout the United States. Demonstrations against the conflict and Israel have also shut down roads, government offices, and more, including in Chicago.
But Snelling, in a separate interview, maintained that the Chicago Police Department, which is working alongside federal law enforcement agencies, is prepared to deal with large crowds and any security concerns.
“There’s a possibility that things could take a turn. Something could happen that we don’t expect,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “We know that our officers can respond in a professional manner with training behind them. They’ll be more effective in decision making. And then the response becomes greater and better.”
In the interview with WMAQ, published on Aug. 15, Snelling also made reference to riots that occurred in 2020 following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that year. His office is better prepared to deal with such incidents, he said.
“These were felonious acts by people who converged upon this city to destroy it,” he said. “We’re not going to tolerate that, and our officers are trained to respond to that this time. This is not just a spontaneous event like the event that occurred in 2020. We’ve prepared for this and we’re ready to go out and defend our city.”
At a news conference on Aug. 16, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said protesters are welcome to demonstrate.
“They don’t have to be concerned about their First Amendment right,” he said. “I’m going to make sure that these individuals have everything that they need to make sure that their voices are heard.”
Harris has already won the Democratic Party’s nomination in an early virtual vote. She will give her acceptance speech at the DNC later this week, along with running-mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
The DNC starts Monday, Aug. 19, and ends on Thursday, Aug. 22.
Secret Service Deputy Special Agent in Charge Derek Mayer said last week there are no known specific security threats against the convention.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.