March on DNC: Coalition vows to win fight for the right to march

Chicago, IL – On Monday, August 19, the Democratic National Convention comes to Chicago. The Coalition to March on the DNC, consisting of more than 200 organizations, will bring tens of thousands of protesters to the streets surrounding the United Center.

The front banner in the street will read, “Stand with Palestine! End U.S. aid to Israel!” Because this is mainly a march for Palestine, the Democratic Party powerbrokers are scared.

On Monday, August 12, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood ruled against the coalition’s lawsuit, which sought a longer march route than the city of Chicago had offered. The coalition argued the need for a longer route because the short one-mile route offered by the city would have most of the marchers still in the park when the front marchers return.

Hatem Abudayyeh, spokesperson for the coalition, said, “The Democratic leadership doesn’t want our movement to get our message heard, the message that says ‘Stop U.S. aid, free Palestine, and stop the genocide.’”

City Law Department maneuvers to deny park permit

An even more undemocratic process has gone on with the coalition’s application for the permits to rally in the parks near the United Center. Despite the coalition having followed the permit process, applying for Union Park in the first week of November 2023, the city has failed to grant a permit.

Chris Williams, attorney for the Coalition, noted that by city ordinance, “If the Parks Department doesn’t deny a permit within 14 days, it is to be granted.”

Williams also states, “The organizers are preparing a big stage, and professional sound system, but don’t have a permit to assemble six days before the rally. No one will give contracts for these items without a park permit.”

Andrew Worseck, lead counsel for the city in this case, stated the city would announce its decision about granting a permit to the coalition tomorrow.

Worseck admitted under Judge Wood’s questions that there weren’t any other applicants for the park. Woods responded, “It seems odd park permits pending so long without being granted, as permits were being issued for other organizations. It’s hard to explain how Mr. Williams’ clients have been treated so differently.” Williams responded that the message in the denial of Union Park to the coalition was that the city didn’t want the message about Palestine getting to the convention goers.

Zionists create atmosphere of violence against Palestinians in Chicago

After court, Abudayyeh, who is executive director of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, reported to the press about a threat of violence made against him personally. “Yesterday, I received a threatening letter that you all have a copy of. We’ve received a ton of these by email and voicemail to our office phones, but this is the first time I’ve ever been violated where I live. It was written on a large post-it note and attached to the mailbox in the hallway of my apartment building. I have been advised by my former attorney to file a complaint, and I will, but I wanted first to make sure that we talk about this here.”

Abudayyeh explained, “Last week, USPCN challenged accusations by the racist Zionist Anti-Defamation League and Jewish United Fund, which organized a presser to attack Palestinians mobilizing in Chicago to stop the genocide that has already seen over 40,000 Palestinians killed by the U.S.-funded Israeli military.

“We warned that ADL’s racist lies and criminalization of pro-Palestine organizing and protests would embolden and incite other racists, white supremacists, and Zionists to attack people from our community, just like we’ve seen in the past when the beautiful six-year-old baby boy, Wadea al-Fayoume, was stabbed 26 times and killed, or when three 20-year-old Palestinian men were shot, one paralyzed for life, last November in Vermont.

“We call for the ADL and JUF to publicly retract their statements and attacks against Palestinians generally, and against USPCN and the Coalition to March on the DNC specifically.”

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