Oct 10

Oct 10 The Palestinians Return

Chicago, Demonstrations, Parades, Performance, Protest, Public Declarations

For over a year following the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas against the Israelis, members of Chicago’s Palestinian Community took to the streets virtually every Saturday afternoon, showing their support for the Palestinians living in Gaza and the West Bank. Even someone who was pro-Israeli had to respect and admire the effort expended by people who often lived in Chicago’s western suburbs but made the 45-minute drive into the city to take part in the rallies and marches.

But as one of the organizers acknowledged to me today, most people simply cannot main that level of engagement year after year, which is why the Palestinians stopped holding the weekly Saturday demonstrations over a year ago. I noted that Chicago’s Ukrainian community has experienced a similar drop in participation. Whether Palestinian, Ukrainian, or any other nationality, people have lives to live that go well beyond political activity. Kids have Saturday soccer games, shopkeepers have Saturday hours, and homeowners have yard work.

For those reasons, the Palestinians now hold fewer, but what might be described as more strategic demonstrations. Last Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the war between Israel and Hamas, so today the Palestinians came out for a rally in Jane Byrne Park (the site of Chicago’s Water Tower), which was followed by a march on Michigan Avenue, with a turn westward on Upper Wacker Drive. The group of 200 to 300 demonstrators then stopped across the river from Trump Tower. One man gave a speech as the demonstrators milled about. Within 30 minutes, the crowd dissipated.

Despite the massive crowds on the sidewalks and heavy traffic on Michigan Avenue, the march shutdown the southbound lane of traffic for about half an hour. The Chicago Police Department did an excellent job of rerouting traffic and maintaining order. The Palestinian leadership maintained order, thereby minimizing the disruption caused by the march. While I saw one counter-demonstrator in the distance, I did not see any notable incidents.

The Palestinians picked the perfect day for a march. This being Chicago Marathon weekend, Michigan Avenue was crawling with many of the 55,000 marathoners and their family members. Many of these people probably had never seen a Palestinian march because so many of the runners travel great distances to take part in the marathon. The Palestinians had a captive audience, and they knew how to get their message out.

The rally in Jane Byrne Park did not differ from the many rallies that preceded it. The usual group of speakers offered remarks, including Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and activist Kobi Guillory. Virtually everyone condemned Israel’s incursion into Gaza and the West Bank following the October 7th attack by Hamas.

When I headed home, one question remained: When would be the next pro-Palestinian demonstration? I doubt next weekend. The “No Kings” organizers have a rally planned, as do the Ukrainians. And let’s not forget, Open House Chicago.

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