More protests near United Center on third day of DNC

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said the protest and march near the United Center Wednesday night ended peacefully without arrests.

Snelling's officers marched with the group, which it prevented the massive group from roaming and venturing toward the United Center.

"The organizers wanted a peaceful protest," said Snelling. "They had marshals who kind of policed the crowd themselves—so when they saw someone getting out of line, their marshals got people back in line."

Snelling said the protest went smoothly Wednesday because safety was discussed.

"When we have these conversations on safety and what's going to keep everybody safe, and we're working together, this is how it turns out. It turns out no arrests, no violence, peaceful protest—this is how people got their voices heard."

This stands in contrast to a protest Tuesday night outside the Israeli Consulate in the West Loop. Police said a total of 56 people were arrested during the protest, including three journalists who police said did not comply with officers' orders when police moved in to contain the protest and arrest demonstrators who had attacked officers.  

Snelling said a group came Tuesday night with the intention of committing violence and vandalism, and police would not allow it.

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Uncommitted delegates in support of the Palestinian cause staged a sit-in outside the United Center Wednesday night, reporting they were denied a speaking slot at the Democratic National Convention.

Uncommitted delegate Abbas Alawiehs of Michigan wrote on X, formally Twitter, called on Vice President Kamala Harris' team to make room for a Palestinian American to speak on the convention stage—and said the sit-in would continue until he got a call saying that would happen.

"Please reconsider. We're being extremely reasonable," he wrote. "I'm waiting for the call from the Vice President's team. I can't go anywhere until the Vice President agrees to having a Palestinian American speak from the stage. I'm waiting for the call."

While Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling commended the way his officers handled the arrests at the protest at Chicago's Israeli Consulate Tuesday night, an attorney who observed the arrests said the CPD went too far.

"The police were the ones that provoked this," said Brad Thomson of the National Lawyers Guild of Chicago. "The police were the ones that took the initiative to make contact with the crowd, advance on the crowd, and start making arrests."

Thomson said Chicago Police tactical teams prevented the crowd from marching—which ended in mass arrests.

"The police have said that they had given orders to disperse," Thomson said. "We had legal observers on the ground who said that they were unable to hear those orders if they were given."

David Harris, a professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh, said police are going to take action when protests grow dangerous or violent.

"The police are trained and have gotten orders to avoid any displays of getting out of control," he said.

Harris said while the CPD is obligated to protect the free speech of protesters during the DNC, this does not mean any and all conduct is acceptable on protesters' part.

"If there is violent behavior, the police are going to step up and do something about it," he said.

Those arrested were taken to the temporary court facility at the Belmont Area Chicago Police headquarters at Belmont and Western avenues—which formerly held North Felony Court (Br. 42) and North Misdemeanor Court (Br. 29).

They included Elise Knaub, a Chicago Public Schools teacher who was taken into custody near a burning flag. Arrest documents said she was "interfering with police officers enforcing an arrest."

Also arrested was a 25-year-old from Downers Grove who is accused of taking an officer's radio during the mass arrests.

At least 22 people arrested Tuesday night are from out of town, while another 14 would not give their name or address.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias said Democratic vice-presidential pick and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz makes a highly relatable impression. Giannoulias said his own mother took notice.

"I asked my mom—who's apolitical; I always ask her thoughts—she had no idea who Tim Walz was. She watched him on the first night, and she looked at me, and she goes, 'I love him,'" Giannoulias said. "So my mom, who's 79, apolitical—she likes that he's a former high school teacher, a football coach, down to earth. He owns a gun, but he understands we need commonsense gun laws. He's folksy. He's real. He's relatable. He's a cross between your dad and your grandfather."

Giannoulias said Walz, who is speaking Wednesday night, would do well in focusing on his economic message.

CBS Chicago political analyst and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot agreed with GIannoulias on Walz's relatability.

"He's got a classic American story. He's a hometown guy—grew up in Nebraska. He's a teacher. He served his country in the National Guard. He's a coach—somebody who sponsored the gay group in high school," Lightfoot said. "He's just got a solid American story right on the résumé."

Giannoulias also talked about meeting Vice President and presidential pick Kamala Harris as she landed at O'Hare International Airport this week. He said he mostly talked to her about his knee injury that has had him on crutches—but also made a point of telling her she was an inspiration, as Giannoulias is the father of four daughters.

Giannoulias was asked if he would run for another office if, hypothetically, Gov. JB Pritzker or U.S> Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) decides not to run for reelection.

"It's sort of a cheesy answer, but the God's honest truth, I love being secretary of state. If something opens up in the future, would I look at it? Absolutely. I love state government. I think there's a lot of good we continue to do in Springfield," he said. "So would I look at it? Yes. But I truly—Jesse White told me: 'There's a reason why I did this for 24 years. It's the best job in the United States of America."

The University of Chicago's Institute of Politics brought hundreds of Gen Z students to its Youth Vote Fest on the city's Near West Side, just blocks away from the Democratic National Convention at the United Center.

As hundreds of college voters filled the Epiphany Center for the Arts. Organizers pulled a song from Charlie XCX's blockbuster "Brat" album, playing to their young audience. One of the attendees wore a "Demo(b)rat" hat to the event.

Turnout at Youth Vote Fest, hosted by the nonpartisan Institute of Politics, included students from 180 colleges and universities. 

"I'm just excited to see the first Black woman president," said Nia Belssing Armstrong, a student at the University of Illinois Chicago.

While most of the attendees were pledged to Kamala Harris, it was the IOP's second Vote Fest after another in Milwaukee for the RNC. The event puts students through voter education and get-out-the-vote training with the goal of increasing turnout this November and beyond.

Read more here.

Dispatch reports and video clips indicated that the protest made its way to the new Damen Green Line station, and participants may have blocked the entrance. There was no information immediately confirmed about arrests at the station, but video did show at least one person being detained.

Multiple social media reports indicated that a crowd of people banged on windows and yelled, "Let her go!" after police arrested or detained a woman at the Damen Green Line stop.

Protesters later advanced east to the Ashland Green Line station, where someone carrying a Palestinian flag was detained on the platform.

It appeared a protester climbed the piling for the 'L' structure before he was detained.

The parents of an Israeli-American man held hostage by Hamas took the stage on the third night of the Democratic National Convention on Thursday. Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was attending a music festival when he was taken on Oct. 7, 2023. His parents, who used to live in Chicago, pleaded for his safe return home. They wore "320" on their shirts, for how many days he's been gone.

"Since then, we live on another planet," said Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Hersh's mother. "Anyone who is a parent, or has had a parent, can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I and all the hostage families are enduring."

Hersh lost his left arm during the Oct. 7 attacks. Hamas has released several propaganda videos featuring him since then.

His parents continue to fight for a cease-fire deal.

The Coalition for Justice in Palestine protesters began marching around 6 p.m., taking formation and heading to the streets.

Hundreds of people took part in the march, if not 1,000. Men, women, and children were among them.

"I'm a Democrat. I support the party. I don't support all their policies," said protester Geoffrey Gresk. "So I think it's important that we use all the peaceful means available to use to communicate what we want."

The group was taking a similar route to a protest march held on Monday. They are headed to Park 578 at 1919 W. Maypole Ave.

Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling was on the scene, along with hundreds of police officers.

Contributing: Jermont Terry

The group protesting in Union Park continued to grow by the hour Wednesday afternoon. The Coalition for Justice in Palestine identifies as the largest Palestinian activist group in the country.

Cook County is also home to the largest Palestinian American community in the country, with more than 18,000 people.

The same group has been behind dozens of protests in Chicago since October of last year.

"The real human race is here. It's not just Palestinian. You look at this—Palestinians, other Arab countries, non-Arabs, Americans, all different races—white, Asian, African American, everybody's here," said protester Mustafa Zayed. "You look around, we say Chicago is a melting pot—this is Chicago. That's a melting pot. We're all here."

The group was expected to begin marching within the hour, in the direction of the United Center.

People on the stage made comments ahead of the march asking protesters not to engage with agitators who may be out to cause trouble.

Insects were placed in the breakfast buffet of the Indiana Democratic delegation Wednesday morning.

A person who attended the breakfast said bugs were found in the buffet, and they appeared to be crickets—contrary to earlier reports that they were maggots.

The incident happened at the Fairmont Chicago Hotel, at 200 N. Columbus Dr., police said.

Police said multiple girls or women entered the hotel and began placing "unknown objects" onto tables with food.

"The safety and well-being of our delegation is our top priority. All Americans have the right to peaceful protest, but ugly attacks like this have no place in our democracy," Indiana Democratic Party spokesperson Sam Barloga said in a statement. "We thank the security team for responding swiftly."

Chicago Police and the FBI are investigating.

Ald. Walter Burnett (27th), who represents the area around the United Center, says the neighborhood has adapted well to the Democratic National Convention coming to their community. 

Burnett and former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a CBS News Chicago political analyst, also weighed in on what they've seen at the DNC halfway through.

Dozens of social media influencers are in Chicago this week for the Democratic National Convention as the party hopes they will get young voters excited for the election and the Harris-Walz ticket.

From surprise celebrity appearances to one-line zingers, the DNC has been creating a decent amount of online chatter. Delegates told CBS News Chicago they hope the people being entertained at home not only laugh but vote.

Nostalgia hit hard on the second night of the DNC from Michael Jackson for Hoosiers to the Chicago Bulls' walk-on song for the Illinois delegates. Lots of folks were talking about the music that accompanied each state's roll calls.

Most agreed that Georgia stole the show with a live performance by Lil Jon. The moment flooded social media feeds and was trending on Google.

"Everybody was just like on their feet," said Gion Thomas, a delegate from Texas. "Just screaming."

Read more here.

At the protest Thursday, a banner was unfurled on the ground calling on President Biden to "free Leonard Peltier."

Peltier is an Indigenous activist who has been in prison since 1977, after being convicted in the killings two years earlier of two FBI agents in during a standoff on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

Peltier has said the FBI framed him, and has appealed his conviction numerous times. His case has long been a cause for social justice activists, who view him as a political prisoner.

Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance slammed Chicago and Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz in one fell swoop on Tuesday, saying it was "almost a joke" that the Democratic National Convention is being held in Chicago.

"My little theory about why they decided to have the convention in Chicago is Tim Walz has been going around saying he served in war and maybe they did it in Chicago so they can accurately say that he visited a combat zone," Vance said.

CBS News Chicago asked political analysts Lori Lightfoot, the city's former mayor, and Pat Brady, the former Illinois Republican Party chair to weigh in on the political value of such attacks, and asked for their thoughts on Walz's upcoming keynote speech at the DNC on Wednesday night.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democrats' vice presidential nominee, and former President Bill Clinton were among those slated to speak on the third night of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday.

Walz was spotted testing out the sound system on the stage just several hours ahead of his highly-anticipated speech.

As of 4 p.m., the pro-Palestinian protest crowd was rallying on a stage at Union Park. The crowd was expected to march toward the United Center later Wednesday afternoon.

The group is calling for an end to U.S. aid to Israel for the war in Gaza. The group was passionate, but peaceful.

But referencing the clashes in a protest outside the Israeli Consulate Tuesday night, which resulted in 55 to 60 arrests, police Supt. Larry Snelling emphasized Wednesday that police must monitor all protests to ensure they remain peaceful.

As of 3:30 p.m., a few hundred people were assembled in Union Park for a pro-Palestinian protest. The Chicago Coalition for Justice in Palestine, which organized the protest, said its mission is to "seek justice in protest of Israel's violence against an innocent civilian population."

Two protesters explained why they believed it was important to turn out for the protest.

"It's critical that they change their mind on policy," said Yasar Samarah. "It's just this continued support of Israel no matter what—whether they're right or they're wrong."

"I think it's just standing up for humanity," said Alicia Campos. "Everybody knows what's going on over there. It's a genocide."

Tourists downtown stopped to capture video on Wednesday afternoon as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's motorcade—led by dozens of state police troopers on motorcycles—sped past Millennium Park on his way to the Democratic National Convention on the West Side of Chicago. 

Many of the gawkers weren't sure what they were witnessing. 

"Must be somebody important," said one of the dozens of people with cell phones out to capture the moment. 

Walz was on his way to the United Center for a walkthrough in preparation for his speech to the DNC tonight as the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee. 

Walz spent about 15 minutes checking out the venue, chatting with the DNC workers and aides. 

Chicago police said dozens of people were arrested Tuesday night, when members of an unsanctioned protest rally outside the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago clashed with police on the second night of the Democratic National Convention.

Police Supt. Larry Snelling said between 55 and 60 people were arrested during the protest, including three journalists who police said did not comply with officers' orders when police moved in to contain the protest and arrest demonstrators who had attacked officers.  

"We had a group that showed up, and they showed up with the intent on committing acts of violence and vandalism. That was their intent," Snelling said Wednesday morning. "We attempted to avoid the clash to no avail, but CPD is not going to run away. We will not stand by and let our officers be attacked, because an officer who cannot protect himself, herself, themselves cannot protect this city. Enough is enough."

The group Behind Enemy Lines began a protest Tuesday evening outside the Israeli Consulate, located in the Accenture Tower at 500 W. Madison St. in the West Loop—1.75 miles due east of the United Center where the convention is under way. Protesters also set American flags on fire during the rally.

"We did everything we could to de-escalate that situation, but there's only so much de-escalation that you can attempt before it becomes excessive repetition," Snelling said. "Last night was a danger to our city, and a danger to our citizens in this city, our residents, property – and CPD had to protect that."

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One of the highlights of Tuesday night's DNC program, to judge from the reaction on social media, came from a procedural requirement that more often comes off as a low-energy slog.

But instead, the state-by-state roll call of delegates committing their support behind Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was given a jolt of energy courtesy DJ Cassidy, who provided customized song accompaniment for each state's moment in the spotlight.

But when it came for Wisconsin, nearly last in the alphabet, to take its turn, the energy appeared to overwhelm Gov. Tony Evers.

Surrounded by a group of cheesehead-wearing supporters, Evers notably fumbled through his script. He started off by listing the major Wisconsin sports teams, but when he got to the Green Bay Packers, he was met by boos from the Illinois crowd. 

"I'm here because I'm jazzed as hell," Evers continued, "to announce that Wisconsin casts one vote present and 94 votes for ... for ... for ... whoa, where are we at? Got me going here. Former Wisconsinite, former state ... oh my god ..."

Evers ultimately got through his presentation, but not without seeming to nearly forget Harris' name.

On Wednesday morning, Evers posted a response on X.

"Holy mackerel — sometimes the jazz gets the best of ya, folks," he wrote. 

Young people, some first-time voters, have taken to social media to express support for Vice President Kamla Harris as the Democratic presidential nominee.

The support behind Harris has since translated into viral memes and references, and even Charli XCX's Lime Green Brat album became the unofficial theme of the Harris campaign.

If you haven't grasped the context of the coconut tree, just a few hours of exploring the DNC will introduce you to how Gen Zers have gravitated to Harris' campaign.

Memes come to life, lime green is everywhere, and so are the people who made it go viral - young Democrats from recent high school graduates to voters in their mid-20s - energetic, hopeful, and galvanized by Harris' eleventh-hour nomination.

"I feel like the excitement really happened when Biden jumped out, as much as I hate to say it," Callie said.

Read more here. 

There have been a number of protests and demonstrations in and around downtown Chicago this week. Here are images showing some of the statements being made and the clashes caught on camera.

CBS News correspondent Adriana Diaz shares photos from Night 2 of the DNC, including former President Barack Obama as he watches his wife, Michelle, speak at the convention. 

Some of the people who were arrested at Tuesday night's protest outside the Israeli Consulate – following multiple clashes with police – were released from custody Wednesday morning at the temporary DNC courthouse set up at the Area 3 police station at Belmont and Western. Approximately 10 people had been released by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Protesters outside the courthouse said they were there to offer people being released support ranging from coffee to attorney information. Protest organizers said between 60 to 70 people were arrested during the demonstration, and members of Behind Enemy Lines said they will stay at the courthouse until everyone who was arrested is released.

Former Chicago Police First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio discussed CPD's response and preparations during the protest.

Mayor Brandon Johnson helped Illinois delegates kick off Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, welcoming delegates from across the state to Chicago.

It was the first DNC breakfast Johnson attended alongside the Illinois delegation. For the first two days of the DNC, he chose to attend other state's breakfasts.

Each morning serves as a rallying moment for delegates ahead of the evening's main festivities.

"This is a room full of powerful leaders, elected leaders, labor leaders, civic leaders, clergy," Johnson said. "I can tell you when I look in this room today, the complexion and the direction of this room is a lot different than in 2016, and that's a good thing."

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Stephen Maynard Caliendo of North Central College discusses some of the highlights from Night 2 of the Democratic National Convention.

Former U.S. Rep. and political consultant Cheri Bustos joined Dana Kozlov to discuss Day 2 of the Democratic National Convention, saying the vibe was "off the charts."

Bustos said she thinks the best speech was from former First Lady Michelle Obama. 

"I think she even outid her husband, which is nearly impossible to do," she said.