'Anger, resilience, joy': Pro-Palestine solidarity on streets of Chicago

Tens of thousands of people – including student groups, families with children, labour unions, and others – have gathered on the streets of Chicago, united by a common goal and drawing strength from the sufferings of Palestinians thousands of miles away.

As the Democratic Party’s four-day national convention in the US city got underway on Monday, anti-war slogans rent the air as the people protested the Biden administration’s blatant support to Israel in its genocidal war on Gaza over the past ten months.

While a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US support for Israel are central to the demonstrators' demands, the crowds are also advocating for affirmative action on other pressing issues such as climate crisis, protection of abortion rights, economic justice, police accountability, and the advancement of racial equality.

Some people have travelled from across the country, responding to the call of a coalition of over 200 US and international organisations.

Despite preemptive police presence and intervention by counter-protesters, they intend to maintain their presence until Thursday, when the convention concludes, and to ensure the march remains peaceful.

‘Non-partisanship in the air’

On the first day of their protests, demonstrators met with a heavy police presence, as troops were deployed across the city against the diverse crowd protesting the US government’s complicity in the ethnic cleansing in Gaza.

Amid the crowd marching to the United Center, where the convention is being held, several protesters who breached the fence were reportedly detained and handcuffed by the police.

“A ‘warlike formation’ isn't something you expect to see when controlling a peaceful set of demonstrations advocating for peace and the end of violence,” protester Alvaro Guzman Bastida tells TRT World.

As he approached the convention location, he saw hundreds of police officers in riot gear forming a perimeter that separated the people from what was happening inside.

"At one point, the police started marching in the same direction I was heading," he says.

An alum of Columbia Journalism School, Bastida describes the scene as feeling “eerily similar” to the night the NYPD entered Columbia University, forcibly clearing anti-war encampments and arresting over a hundred students.

“I was at the front barricades then, and witnessing that scene brought back memories of what I saw just minutes before the incident.”

He believes that that “horrific, brutal police assault” on his campus is connected to what is witnessed in Chicago streets these days, as in both cases, police were there to forcefully and violently suppress a peaceful demonstration calling for justice, peace, and an end to genocide.

Demonstrators emphasise that the organisers have taken clear and serious measures to prevent anything that could lead to violence during the march.

“There is a strong sense of non-partisanship in the air,” says Jeneen Suiafan, a 24-year-old Palestinian American attending the protests with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). She tells TRT World that she feels “seen and represented” among this enthusiastic crowd.

“We saw Kamala (Harris) a few days ago almost taunt some protestors, so we want to make sure that the demands are met very seriously and the voices of the Muslim American community are heard,” says Hafsa Haider, communications coordinator at CAIR Chicago, to the vice president and the Democratic Party’s presidential candidate.

The participants note the crowd's diversity, with flags from Bosnia, Colombia, Ireland, and Mexico visible.

“What I saw were people from all walks of life—primarily working-class individuals, along with some professionals, intellectuals, college students, and professors. This diverse coalition includes Latino people, Asian Americans, African Americans, whites, and a significant number of Jews,” Alvaro says.

He adds that Jewish protests have been leading the movement as they say "Not in our name."

“We are learning from them and following in their footsteps.”

He notes there are some counter groups who are there to provoke, such as “those waving Israeli flags, displaying large Trump signs and banners, standing on the sidelines, shouting at the demonstrators, or filming us up close while saying horrible things.”

“They seem to be hoping for a reaction, hoping someone will make a mistake or become agitated, leading to a confrontation.”

Mediators are present on the march routes to address any potential interventions by counter-protesters, CAIR’s Hafsa tells TRT World.

CAIR is among the organisations that have legal representatives on the ground to address any potential civil rights violations that may arise.

No better than the other

While ending the war in Gaza remains the primary focus of the thousands who will continue to fill the streets over the next two days, the broader quest is for true democracy—something that could ultimately achieve this goal.

Alvaro notes that Donald Trump, a convicted candidate, is running against someone “who didn’t face a primary and was appointed by a figure we’re expected to believe has no intention of ruling for another four years, yet is somehow deemed qualified to choose his successor.”

The 34-year-old filmmaker believes this shows the democratic deficit in the US, which is interconnected with the struggles of people worldwide.

“Yes, Trump is a threat to democracy and a criminal, and it's not good to have criminals run countries, let alone be elected through a nominally democratic system. While we should keep him from achieving office, we should also keep in mind that all of what has been happening for the last ten months is happening under a Democratic administration.”

“Real democracy is essential for achieving justice and peace. The immediate issue at hand is stopping the genocide—plain and simple, and it is within the US's power to halt it,” he adds.

Faayani Aboma Mijana, a spokesperson and lead organiser of the Coalition to March on the DNC, says he undoubtedly believes that Palestine has changed the political dynamic in the country.

“People here are waking up and organising like never before, and that's something to be very excited about,” he tells TRT World. “When people are united, they cannot be defeated, and we're going to demonstrate that this week.”

“I saw anger and a rightful sense of urgency, but I also saw a lot of joy, resilience, solidarity, and camaraderie,” Alvaro says while taking a break from the march on the streets of Chicago.

“It's one of those moments where you have a clarity of mind, realising there's no better place to be, no better thing to be doing. There's nothing better anyone with a heart could be doing than stopping this genocide right now.”