Chicago is bracing for upheaval at the Democrat National Convention this summer. The local police department is now participating in intensive drills in preparation for the big event.
There will be a large contingent of the anti-Israel/pro-Hamas and climate change extremists who want to get their voices heard. The city will be transformed into a circus by the extreme left, and naturally, the Democrats present at the convention will likely keep silent in response.
In preparation for August’s convention, Chicago Police Department officers are attending a two-day specialized training session.
While police in Chicago have been in training since March, this week, they will learn specific techniques for dealing with violent incidents, including how to employ body shields, how to protect bystanders, and extract the wounded. Two thousand five hundred policemen will be participating in tier-one training in preparation. The training is intended for the most dangerous situations.
Approximately 50,000 people, along with several demonstrators, are anticipated to attend the convention, which is scheduled to take place at the United Center in Chicago from August 19th to the 22nd.
According to Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, they have figured out new strategies to deal with potential mass arrests, he said.
Snelling said last week at a press appearance with U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle that vandalism would not be tolerated. No one will be able to enter the city and then abandon it once they’ve trashed it.
Snelling said this won’t be 1968, but he gets the analogy given nationwide demonstrations of the Israel-Hamas conflict. The police department will execute a more planned and controlled approach. The 1968 convention in Chicago was marred by police and anti-war protester violence.
More than fifty groups want to demonstrate in Chicago, and the Secret Service will be ready. The city has refused to approve protests around the convention site, leading to lawsuits and organizations that plan to march anyway.
Rising crime rates are the backdrop for the preparations. Chicago police figures show a 23% rise in murder, a 38% increase in robbery, a 41% increase in burglaries, and a shocking 227% increase in car thefts from 2019 to 2023.
