‘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