Pro-Israel groups say their fight for permission to protest outside the Democratic National Convention next week has failed, despite anti-Israel groups being lucky enough to get approval.
“This is an outrage,” said Eran Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council (IAC), which filed the two permit applications with the Chicago Department of Transportation last month.
“We were issued a permit to march and exercised our First Amendment right, not just to stand up for Israel, but to stand up for America, because those who love Israel are the ones who stand with America and wave the American flag, not the ones who burn it. Sadly, not only was that permit denied to us, but in the meantime, a permit was given to anti-Israel groups, the same groups that burn the American flag…”
Pro-Israel group ‘deeply disappointed’ after Chicago city allegedly ignored permit request for Democratic National Convention
Eran Carr, CEO of the Israeli American Council, argues that his organization does not have a permit to march at next week’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, while pro-Palestinian groups have. (Fox & Friends First)
Carr told Fox & Friends First on Monday that he felt the discriminatory treatment was “unfair,” and also claimed that the group’s attempts to display photos of American hostages in Gaza at Midway and O’Hare airports had also been denied.
“They [the rejection] “In writing. It was a phone call,” he told co-host Carly Shimkus.
“We said, ‘Can you actually deny it in writing?’ and they said, ‘No, we won’t put it in writing, just over the phone.’ Frankly, this is egregious and should be investigated,” he added.
With the Democratic National Convention just a week away, Carr’s message to Democratic nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris is clear.
Pro-Israel college students gather at summit, vow to ‘retake’ campuses from extremists
Demonstrators gather around a burning American flag and an effigy during a pro-Palestinian protest on Capitol Hill in Washington, USA, on the day Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed a joint session of Congress, 24 July 2024. (Reuters/Seth Herold)
“We are here, proud Americans, patriotic for our country, for the United States, supporting Israel, and we have expectations of our government,” he said.
“We expect the United States to strongly support Israel as it fights for its very survival against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its dark proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas and other such forces.”
Earlier this year, the city of Chicago denied the IAC’s request for a permit to hold a stationary protest within “sight and sound” of the convention.
According to the letter, obtained by Jewish Insider, the city noted that there were insufficient “City resources” to “secure the meeting at the requested date, time, and location,” which could create a “public safety issue.”
The city instead proposed another location, two to three blocks from the convention center, but the IAC rejected the idea.
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Meanwhile, anti-Israel protesters are engaged in a legal battle with the city, arguing that their First Amendment rights were violated when city officials allegedly blocked their request for a permit to march within “sight and sound” of the Democratic National Convention.
Chicago Tribune Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office has reportedly offered the protesters a route “adjacent” to the United Center, the site of this year’s Democratic National Convention.
When reached for comment, the City of Chicago provided the following statement to Fox News Digital:
“The City of Chicago fully supports the right of individuals and groups to safely exercise their First Amendment right to protest. Due to ongoing litigation, we cannot comment on specific details regarding assembly locations or routes, but we can say with certainty that demonstrators will be able to protest within sight and sound of the United Center. At this time, no permits have been issued for rallies or parades near the United Center or McCormick Place.”
Fox News’ Christine Parks contributed to this report.
