A pro-Israel group is fighting for a permit to march near the Democratic National Convention (DNC), while anti-Israel groups have already been approved for their own demonstrations.
A Chicago federal judge denied a request from four anti-Israel protest groups to expand their protest area outside the Democratic National Convention next week. The groups, which include the Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, the Anti-War Committee, Students for a Democratic Society at UIC, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, had sought permits to march over an expanded area closer to the United Center, one of two locations for the DNC.
However, the judge rejected their claim that the city's preferred protest route violates their First Amendment rights. The groups were ordered to use a different route proposed by the city of Chicago, which keeps them farther away from the convention site.
Pro-Israel Group Fights for Permit to March Near DNC
Meanwhile, a pro-Israel group, the Israeli American Council, is fighting for a permit to march near the DNC. The group's CEO, Elan Carr, has said that they have been waiting for a permit for months, while anti-Israel groups were allegedly approved for their own demonstrations.
Carr has accused the city of trying to silence pro-Israel voices while allowing anti-Israel groups to protest freely. He said that the Israeli American Council is "being treated as second-class citizens" and that the city's actions are "a clear violation of our First Amendment rights."
Pro-Israel Group Fights for Permit to March Near DNC
Law enforcement sources have told Fox News that the original plan for the protests would have kept protesters out of sight and sound of the convention. However, protest organizers expect tens of thousands of people to show up, and there is concern about potential violence.
The specter of the violent 1968 clashes between anti-Vietnam War protesters and police is haunting this year's event. The anti-Israel groups hope to push the Democratic Party to drop its support for Israel's ongoing operation in Gaza, which came in response to a deadly terror attack.
Pro-Israel Group Fights for Permit to March Near DNC
The DNC runs from Aug. 19 to 22. It remains to be seen whether the pro-Israel group will be granted a permit to march near the convention and whether there will be any protests or clashes between pro-Israel and anti-Israel demonstrators.
