At least eight advocacy groups have filed permits to demonstrate near the site of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, and some have filed lawsuits against the city seeking permits for the protests.
Chicago institutions have been largely tight-lipped about who can apply for permits and hold demonstrations, amid speculation that unrest within the Democratic Party could lead to a similar situation to Chicago’s infamous 1968 convention.
Fox News Digital reached out to the three city agencies responsible for permitting: the Parks Department, the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
A CDOT representative said that, per city ordinance, the permit will be reviewed by multiple departments to screen for potential conflicts, safety hazards and the availability of needed city resources.
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Police officers escort a protester surrounded by dozens of anti-Vietnam War demonstrators to a patrol car outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, August 1968. (Hulton Archive/Getty)
“If a permit is denied, the applicant will be presented with an alternative route that would allow the parade to continue, taking into consideration police resources, security, safety and other additional factors. Each application submitted will be evaluated based on the specific details of the proposed route and concurrent events taking place in the city,” the representative said.
A representative said the city of Chicago couldn’t comment on specific permits or applicants for the tournament, citing ongoing litigation.
CDOT is also the only agency so far to have responded to a Freedom of Information Act request from the city’s NBC affiliate seeking similar information, according to the report.
Groups that applied for the CDOT permit include the Israeli-American Council, the Chicago Alliance Against Racism and Political Oppression, the American Palestinian Community Network and Students for a Democratic Society at the University of Illinois at Chicago. According to WMAQ Investigation result.
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Chicago Skyline (Raymond Boyd/Getty)
The media outlet reported, without giving details, that part of the application had the word “objection” written on it.
Fox News Digital reached out to several applicant organizations but had not heard back at the time of publication.
In May, nine groups joined the ACLU in suing the city over permit denials on abortion rights and LGBTQ issues. According to CBS News.
At the time, CDOT said the protests would cause significant and unnecessary traffic disruptions beyond what police and the city could handle.
A member of one of the groups listed in the application obtained by WMAQ, the “Unjust Outside the Law” group, told CBS that the city’s response was reminiscent of then-Mayor Richard J. Daley’s response in 1968.
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But Chicago law enforcement officials are trying to reassure the public that they will prevent a repeat of what happened in the so-called “Battle on Michigan Avenue,” which marred the nomination of then-Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey.
“This won’t be like 1968,” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said in June.[O]Our officers are trained in the best way possible to respond to any level of civil disturbance.”
Mayor Brandon Johnson looked back on the city’s history of community organizing and emphasized the importance of public protest.
Johnson said his vision for the Democratic National Convention is to have a “safe, energetic and vibrant convention.”
“We are confident we can make that happen,” he said publicly. “There is a range that we are working within in terms of applications, and we are asking individuals who wish to certify to work within that range.”
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Heckman contributed to this report..
