As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) prepares to dazzle in Chicago, the city is also getting ready to host a sideshow of discontent, as thousands of protesters gear up to crash the party. With the United Center set to be the stage for the DNC’s carefully scripted performances, the real action might just be outside, where a motley crew of activists will be raising their voices—because nothing says “unity” like 30,000 people yelling about how your policies suck.
Starting Sunday, a parade of grievances will march through the Windy City, covering everything from the administration’s love affair with Israel to the Biden-Harris duo’s inability to get a grip on skyrocketing prices. Organizers of the “March on the DNC 2024” expect to bring out between 30,000 and 40,000 people who, shockingly, aren’t too thrilled about the current state of affairs.
Leading the charge are nearly 100 organizations ready to unleash their fury over the ongoing mess in Gaza. Groups like CODEPINK and the Palestinian Feminist Collective are planning to make the DNC hear them, whether the party likes it or not. And let’s be real, they probably don’t. Vice President Kamala Harris might try to play nice with some sympathetic words about the humanitarian crisis, but nobody’s buying it. As Hatem Abudayyeh, national chairman of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, put it: “Harris is just another mouthpiece for the same old policies. Her ‘compassion’ is as empty as her campaign promises.”
Of course, the drama wouldn’t be complete without a good ol’ bureaucratic tussle over protest permits. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has been playing gatekeeper, denying groups the right to set up stages and sound systems near the United Center. And when the march organizers asked for a longer route? A federal judge promptly shut that down, saying the city has a “significant interest” in keeping things under control—because nothing says “democracy” like keeping the rabble at arm’s length.
As the DNC kicks off, it’s clear that the real story won’t just be what happens inside the convention halls. It’ll be the clash between the party elites and the growing crowd of frustrated Americans outside, who are more than ready to remind the Democrats that not everyone is on board with their carefully curated narrative.
