Anti-Israel protesters breach barriers near DNC

Pro-Palestinian, anti-Israeli protesters dismantled a portion of a wire fence outside the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday and poured into the street, according to video taken by WORLD reporter Carolina Lumetta.

The video appeared to show several protesters standing behind joined sections of unscalable fence that lined the sidewalk adjacent to Park 578, a few blocks north of the United Center where the convention is taking place. Many of the demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, wore face coverings, and cried chants of, “Free Palestine.” Some of the demonstrators could be seen gripping sections of the wire fence and wrenching them back and forth. Some of them hit them with wooden sticks. At one point, one of the demonstrators squeezed through the fence and demanded, “Are we going or not?”

Several people breached the barriers and gathered in the street. Police responded, arresting a few demonstrators and demanding they leave the secured area. More officers in riot gear later arrived and pushed the protesters entirely out of the park. As they left, the demonstrators chanted, “We’ll be back! We’ll be stronger!”

How many people joined the protest? The crowd gathered at Union Park, several blocks from the United Center where the convention is taking place. As protesters marched to Park 578, the crowd stretched for several city blocks. Organizers and a smaller group of demonstrators fought over what to do when they arrived at the smaller park. In the end, the smaller group of agitators confronted police while other members of the group moved on.

Dig deeper: Read R. Albert Mohler Jr.’s commentary for WORLD Opinions calling the Democratic Party the party of infertility and death.