Pro-Palestine protests continue on first day of DNC, Biden says 'they have a point' in farewell speech

Group of demonstrators break through security barrier outside convention hall

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Thousands of protesters gathered outside of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday to express their opposition to the war in Gaza and continued U.S. support for Israel’s war effort.

A group of dozens of protesters broke through a security barrier outside the convention center before being stopped by Chicago Police.

Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said some of the protesters who broke through the fence threw water bottles and other objects at the police officers. Several of the protesters were detained by police.

“When you have people infiltrate a crowd and they want to commit acts of violence or vandalism, we are going to stop them,” Snelling said. “We are not going to tolerate anyone who is going to vandalize things in our city.”

DNC security stated that although the demonstrators breached the outermost security perimeter, there was no threat to any attendees.

Outside of the DNC conventional hall, pro-Palestine protesters shouted slogans like, “End the occupation now!”

A protest march was largely organized by a group called “March on the DNC,” which had requested approval. According to Reuters, the group originally expected tens of thousands of protesters to participate, however, news media on the scene estimated only a couple of thousand were present.

After U.S. President Joe Biden came to the center to do a walk-through, the protesters began shouting, “Biden, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide.”

Later in the evening, Biden addressed the convention in a farewell speech described by several news outlets as “emotional.”

During his comments, Biden said the pro-Palestine protesters “have a point.”

“Those protesters out in the streets, they have a point,” Biden said. “A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides.”

During his speech, a group of attendees unfurled a large banner that read, “Stop arming Israel.” Shortly after, a group of delegates attempted to block the banner by holding up signs that read, “We love Joe.”

While some of the Arab and Palestinian convention participants hope to get the party to change its platform regarding support for Israel, others are doubtful it will happen in this election cycle.

Mwalimu Sundiata Keita, who traveled from Cincinnati, Ohio to join the protest, said: "It'll never happen. It's the policy of the party to support Israel, and until that policy changes, that's the way it's going to be,” according to Reuters.

Outside the convention, there were signs that some of the protesters were not happy with Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, either. Some held signs saying, “Abandon Harris, ’24,” while others were reported to have shouted, “Killer Kamala.”

Harris has tried to affirm support for Israel’s right to self-defense, while also attempting to reach a younger generation of Democrats who tend to support the Palestinians over Israel.