Aug 2

Aug 2 GazaPalooza

Chicago, Chicago Tourism, Demonstrations, Donald J. Trump, Festivals, Parades, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

The weather was perfect today. The sun was shining, and the temperatures hovered in the high Seventies. So I headed down to the intersection of Upper Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue, where the heritage Palestinians had decided to hold their weekly demonstration. Let’s face it, for me a demonstration on a Saturday is like golf for others. A good opportunity to soak up the sun. I simply don’t have the patience to lie along Lake Michigan’s shoreline for three hours reading a book or building sandcastles.

As for the demonstration, it largely followed the tried and true formula. People gathered on the sidewalk, where they could see the river below. At first, there were very few demonstrators, but 45 minutes after the announced 3:30 PM start time, the sidewalk was packed with several hundred demonstrators, some overflowing into the street. Somebody may have given a speech, but by and large, the chants were the predominant feature.

At 4:15 PM, the group began the march, first heading south on Michigan Avenue; then heading west on Randolph; next turning north on Franklin; and finally heading east, back to the starting point on Michigan. Because of prior plans, I departed when the marchers reached Wells Street and Wacker.

During the demonstration, several people tried to incite trouble. Before the march began, a family was walking westward on Wacker Driver when they inadvertently encountered the demonstrators. I didn’t hear the exchange, but the body language indicated that the family’s members were not Palestinian partisans. Most likely they were members of Team Israel.

A number of photographers turned their lenses toward the disruption, dashing for a closer vantage point, but before things could get out of hand, several CPD officers intervened, escorting the demonstrators across the street. Notably and to their credit, before CPD took preventive action, several Palestinian organizers had already stepped between the family and the demonstrators, thereby heading off any contact. From my position, the family exhibited arrogant and obnoxious behavior. They might disagree with the pro-Palestinian forces, but the demonstrators were peacefully and lawfully expressing their viewpoint.

I would have preferred a discussion between the two sides. How would the family members have justified at least 60,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza since October 7, 2024, or the Israeli efforts to impede the delivery of humanitarian aid, resulting in mass starvation?

As my photographs indicate, the family seemingly objected to CPD’s efforts to prevent them from engaging with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators. At one point, a CPD officer looked at me with a smile on his face, and if I recall, a knowing shrug of his shoulders. We did not speak, but he nevertheless conveyed a clear message, “What can you do? There are jerks in this world.”

I wish the family had pushed it just a little bit further, resulting in arrests, which would have made for some great images. I, however, would have simply enjoyed seeing the smug, self-righteous smiles wiped off their faces. “Can’t make our dinner reservation at Joe’s Stone Crab tonight because the police haven’t finished processing us following our arrest.”

Once the march began, a woman on the sidewalk began to heckle the demonstrators. Within seconds, the police had her isolated. I don’t think she had a dog in the fight. She appeared to be just another obnoxious person looking for a little excitement in her otherwise drab life.

During the demonstration, I had an interesting conversation with one of the organizers. I began by noting their dedication to the cause—driving in from Bridgeview virtually every Saturday for almost two years. Whether you agree or disagree with the heritage Palestinians, you’ve got to admire their tenacity.

He then explained that they don’t come out for themselves, but rather to spread the word. While I am not sure I agree with his numbers, the organizer estimated that 300,000 people would see today’s demonstration as they walked or drove by, particularly with Lollapalooza in town. According to him, many of those people would snap photographs and record short videos, with everything then being uploaded to social media.

His comments explain the unusual location for today’s demonstration. Normally, the pro-Palestinian demonstrators hold their rallies either on the far north end of Michigan Avenue in Jane Byrne Plaza, in Federal Plaza, or on the sliver of Grant Park abutting Ida B. Wells Drive and Michigan Avenue. This weekend, the Ida B. Wells location was out of the question because of Lollapalooza. Most of those attending Lollapalooza will never make it to Jane Byrne Plaza.

But many festival attendees who are staying in River North or in Streeterville would pass through the intersection of Upper Wacker Drive and Michigan Avenue as they headed to the festival. Many others who are staying in hotels further south spent the afternoon shopping on Michigan Avenue or taking Chicago River boat cruises would also pass through this intersection. Whether it was 300,000 people is besides the point. Thousands people saw or heard the demonstrators and marchers.

Before today’s demonstration began, I stopped by Wrigley Plaza, on the other side of the DuSable Michigan Avenue Bridge. Three people were holding a vigil commemorating Palestinian children who had been killed by the Israelis. It was much quieter than what would unfold across the river minutes later, but maybe more powerful, particularly with framed photographs of the children spread out under the banner.

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