Oct 4

Oct 4 Gatherings

Chicago, Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

I am headed to Paris tomorrow, so I figured I’d cover one last demonstration before heading to O’Hare. As has been the case for the last two years, the Palestinian Community held a Saturday demonstration in support for the Palestinians living in Gaza. In keeping with recent practice, today’s demonstration was held at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Upper Wacker Drive. With a peace plan looking more likely, as I headed out, I wondered whether this might be the last weekly pro-Palestinian demonstration.

For the last two years, the demonstrators have chanted “From the River to the Sea,” which I took to mean that victory would only be achieved if Israel were returned to the Palestinians—from a purely pragmatic standpoint, something that will not happen. So, would the demonstrators forego what is best described as an aspirational victory in exchange for the two-state solution? If the Israelis and Hamas struck a peace deal, would that bring the Saturday demonstrations to an end, or would Chicago’s pro-Palestinian forces continue to convene, continuing to advocate for a Palestinian state that would replace Israel?

By day’s end, I didn’t have a definitive answer to either question. For the most part, the demonstration followed the well-grooved formula. Same speakers; same chants; many of the same signs and banners. Speeches were followed by a march. I did hear one speaker suggest that he still believed in the From-the-River-to-the-Sea fairy tale. I asked one of the leaders whether a peace deal would bring the demonstrations to an end. No definitive answer.

But as often is the case, a seemingly formulaic demonstration can offer up a surprise or two. Today’s demonstration had two. First, shortly before the march began, a man wearing a red t-shirt and riding a bike decided to attack the demonstrators as they stood behind the lead the banner. Events unfolded chaotically, but from what I could see, the man either rammed or threw his bike at the banner, which resulted in several of the organizers and marshals intervening. CPD quickly intervened, hoping to shut down any trouble. Initially, I thought CPD had the disturbance under control, but the man returned to the fray exhibiting aggressive movements.

I still don’t know what inspired this man. He did not appear to be a pro-Israeli counter protester. He didn’t shout any anti-Palestinian slogans or display any signage. What most surprised me was that CPD did not take him into custody. He physically resisted CPD efforts to separate him from the demonstrators. Eventually, the police officers somehow persuaded him to vacate the area.

Once the march began, a group of motorcyclists headed south over the Wabash Avenue Bridge. Both the bikers and demonstrators approached the Wabash and Upper Wacker Drive intersection at the same time. CPD blocked the progress of the bikers, forcing them to stand in position on the bridge as the pro-Palestinians headed west on Upper Wacker Drive.

The well-dressed bikers were engaged in some sort of ride that was totally unrelated to the pro-Palestinian demonstration and march. They waited patiently for the marchers to pass.

Aside from those two aberrations, the demonstration was just another in the many Saturday pro-Palestinian demonstrations that I have covered over the last two years.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]