Unrest in NYC at Kamala Harris event as DNC prepares for potential chaos in Chicago.
A pro-Harris event led to a clash between an anti-Israel mob and police, resulting in the damage of a restaurant.
On Wednesday night in Harlem, anti-Israel protesters threw smoke bombs and insults during a pro-Kamala Harris rally, potentially foreshadowing future demonstrations in Chicago during the 2024 Democratic convention.
A group of people wearing keffiyehs stormed into a crowded restaurant, accusing patrons at the bar of committing "Palestine on fire" in reference to Israel's response to a Hamas attack in the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis.
The bartender made a phone call while patrons tried to ignore the interruption. The police arrived and made arrests as the mob created a chaotic scene with horns, bells and shouting.
Tens of thousands are expected at the largest rallies planned for Chicago next week, while only a few dozen protesters were reported at Wednesday night's havoc in Harlem.
"According to John Macari, a retired NYPD lieutenant and co-host of "The Finest Unfiltered Podcast," the NYPD's response to the Democratic rally to endorse Kamala Harris in New York City was a preview of what law enforcement in Chicago will face next week during the Democratic National Convention."
"Blue city laws and policies have empowered protesters and those seeking to incite riots."
WATCH: Protesters clash with police after storm Harris rally after party
Although Harris did not attend the event, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Mayor Eric Adams, and other local Democrats held the event to endorse the Harris-Walz 2024 ticket.
According to the New York Post, the small business suffered thousands of dollars in damage due to the actions of the mob on Thursday.
By not prosecuting, the cities are inviting the riots to happen. — David Gelman, attorney
In the aftermath of the chaos, protesters wrote "Free Gaza" on an NYPD cruiser, as shown in photos.
"David Gelman, a New Jersey-based attorney and former prosecutor, stated that the issue is that the riots are increasingly taking place in cities run by Democrats, where prosecutors refuse to prosecute them for illegal conduct. As a result, these cities are inadvertently contributing to the occurrence of riots and are equally responsible when they do."
He stated that a second problem is that anti-Israel protesters argue that their violent actions are safeguarded under the First Amendment.
"If you engage in violence and threaten violence, you lose the protection of free speech, as he stated on Planet Chronicle Digital. The irony lies in the fact that if protesters did this in Gaza, they would not survive."
City leaders and organizers in Chicago have been at odds over the amount of space allowed for large demonstrations during the DNC, with the first and last nights being the focal points of the dispute.
This week, a federal judge denied four groups' request to move their protest route inside the convention's secured perimeter. In response, they held a rally outside City Hall, criticizing the city for not granting permits that would have enabled them to use their own audio amplification and portable toilets.
The city's restrictions on their protest plans were deemed unconstitutional by the groups, who argued that it violates the First Amendment.
The judge was informed by City of Chicago lawyers that the city had previously made concessions to the organizers, such as allowing them to be near the United Center, one of the two locations where the convention will take place, according to FOX 32 Chicago.
The city at Union Park would provide a stage and sound equipment for the approved march route.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend a protest organized by those who oppose Democrats' support of Israel in its struggle against Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization.
Separately, pro-Israel organizers are looking to conduct counter demonstrations.
Between 1860 and 1996, Chicago hosted a total of 25 major party political conventions, with 14 being Republican and 11 being Democratic, as stated by the Chicago History Museum.
But it's the specter of one that has officials worried.
In 1968, protests against the Vietnam War occurred outside the convention where Hubert Humphrey was nominated, but he lost to Richard Nixon.
The 1968 government report stated that protesters were encouraged to bring smoke bombs, fake delegate cards, and football helmets, among other "props."
This year's DNC runs from Aug. 19-22.
us
You might also like
- Governor says Kentucky judge was shot and killed in his chambers.
- On a hot day, Texas law enforcement discovered 16 undocumented individuals concealed within a trailer's "false wall," prompting the arrest of the driver.
- The Kentucky couple who discovered the remains of the alleged interstate shooter claims they became 'bounty hunters'.
- A hiker in Yellowstone was airlifted to the hospital with severe burns after straying from the designated trail near Old Faithful.
- Two Massachusetts corrections officers were stabbed by inmates, prompting the union to claim that they are effectively running the asylum.