Democratic officials are reportedly considering a partly virtual Democratic National Convention this summer in Chicago, Illinois, amid fears of disruption from Gaza protesters.
The demonstrators, who are calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a result of civilian death tolls, have produced tumult at several universities as students erect tents on their campuses and in some instances cause interruptions to graduations. Democratic Party officials fear that similar disruptions could take place at their convention this summer.
Some operatives are calling for President Joe Biden and various Democratic rising stars to still make their speeches in the Windy City, while other officials publish their prerecorded speeches online as routine Democratic Party business and votes instead occurs remotely.
Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson has reportedly complicated matters since he has expressed a willingness to let protesters make their appeals, raising questions as to whether he will leverage law enforcement to keep the demonstrators under control if necessary.
“If there’s any mayor that understands the value of protest and demonstration, it’s me,” he said at a press conference while dismissing a question about possible unrest. “Without protests and real demands of a government, people of color and women do not have a place in society.”
More than seventy organizations have vowed to conduct protests at the convention. Two of the groups recently filed a federal lawsuit claiming Chicago denied them permits to hold marches.
Many commentators have drawn parallels between the Democratic convention in 2024 and the Democratic convention in 1968, when thousands of youth gathered outside of the event to protest American involvement in the Vietnam War. That convention also took place in Chicago during a tumultuous election year marked by nationwide protest movements.
Republicans are meanwhile slated to host the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a state which former President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2016 but lost in 2020.
