Anti-Israel protesters handed legal setback in effort to expand DNC rally
Organizers predict that 'the streets will be flooded with thousands of peaceful protesters' outside of the Democrats' convention
By Paul Steinhauser , Monica Oroz Fox News
Published August 13, 2024 12:14pm EDT
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators planning large protests in Chicago at next week's Democratic National Convention are facing a legal setback.
A federal judge ruled against a demand by the demonstrators for a larger protest route that would take them closer to Chicago's United Center arena, site of the Democratic convention from Aug. 19-22.
U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood, in her ruling Monday night ahead of a Tuesday afternoon hearing, stated that the protest route provided by the city adheres to the First Amendment of the Constitution while also addressing significant security and safety concerns.
Chicago is designating two public parks and a 1.1 mile parade route outside the United Center's security zone for protesters.
However, demonstrators protesting the Biden-Harris administration's support for Israel in its nearly 11-months-long war with Hamas in Gaza argued they need a larger route, which would take them closer to the convention site, to accommodate the large crowds of demonstrators they are expecting next week.
The Coalition to March on the D.N.C., an umbrella group of organizations on the left that is helping to organize the planned protests, said in a social media posting on Sunday that Democratic Party officials "underestimate our rage, our tenacity, and our steadfast commitment to the precious life of every Palestinian person enduring this horrific genocide. We’re fighting back."
Additionally, at a news conference in Chicago on Monday hosted by the Council on American Islamic Relations and allied groups, organizers predicted that "the streets will be flooded with thousands of peaceful protesters from all over the country to condemn the horrifying scenes that have come out of Gaza, which have all been funded and supported by our American government. The people's voices will be clear and unified."
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pro-palestinian-protestors-face-set-back-ahead-planned-demonstrations-democratic-convention-chicago
