On the 19th local time, the four-day Democratic National Convention of the United States began in Chicago, Illinois. The current Vice President Harris will formally accept the Democratic presidential nomination during the convention. The Associated Press said that about 50,000 people, including delegates, activists and journalists, are expected to come to the third largest city in the United States this week. According to USA Today, since the 1860s, Chicago has held 25 large-scale political rallies involving party nominations, making it the American city that has hosted the most such events. However, some Americans are worried, "Is Chicago ready?" The New York Times said that against the backdrop of the Gaza war that killed tens of thousands of people and the division within the Democratic Party, "expectations for large-scale protests are growing." Chicago government officials said they can ensure that the chaotic scenes of 1968 will not recur.
Reuters said that according to the schedule, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Biden will give speeches on the evening of the 19th, and former US Presidents Obama and Clinton will give speeches on the 20th and 21st. On the evening of the 22nd, Harris, who has already secured the Democratic presidential nomination, will formally accept the nomination and give a speech entitled "For Our Future" to explain her political views.
"There is a huge exception to the Democratic Unity Convention: the Gaza War." The New York Times published an article with this title on the 18th, saying that at the Democratic National Convention held in Chicago this week, there was a "painful issue" that seriously divided the party's establishment and its left-wingers: Israel's military operations in Gaza. New Jersey Governor Murphy said that the Gaza War must be the central topic of the entire convention. "This is a reality that cannot be ignored. There are too many tragedies and too many innocent lives lost." The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) said that it is not clear how the Democratic Party and Harris' team will deal with the sensitive topic of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The New York Times said there were "signs of conflict" in Chicago this week. USA Today said that the protests held by various rights organizations during the Democratic Convention involved social issues such as the rights of sexual minorities, women's reproductive and abortion rights, but analysts said that the protests held by the "March to the 2024 Democratic Convention" organization may be the largest demonstration, and its core demand is to call for an end to Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip. According to reports, Cook County, Illinois, has the largest Palestinian community in the United States. According to ABC, the "March to the 2024 Democratic Convention" is a protest alliance composed of about 200 groups. In addition, the demonstration group also plans to hold a ceremony on the 20th to mourn the victims of this round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Other organizations such as the "Uncommitted National Movement" seek to stop US arms sales to Israel.
According to Reuters, about 1,000 people supporting Palestine marched in downtown Chicago the night before the Democratic National Convention. On the 19th, tens of thousands of demonstrators are expected to protest the US government's policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict outside the venue. The New York Times said that large-scale protests are also planned to be held at the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago and streets and parks near the convention venue from the 20th to the 22nd. At the same time, some pro-Israel groups will also hold events.