In Chicago, security at the Democratic National Convention aims to avoid a repetition of the 1968 violence
As Chicago hosts the 2024 Democratic National Convention, the eyes of the world will be on the city. In the best-case scenario for the Democratic Party, the political convention will not be overtaken by .
Given the recent political violence with the — and the fast-changing political landscape in America with — the circumstances , also held in Chicago.
In 1968, when opposition to the Vietnam War was at its apex, what happened inside the convention hall mirrored what was going on in the streets outside. In 2024, the controversy over the Israel-Hamas war threatens on the streets outside the convention hall.
The challenge faced by Democratic Party leaders and public safety officials alike is to work towards avoiding a convention that reflects a breakdown of normal political and social processes.
The 1968 convention
In 1968, the presidential nomination was left wide open as incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson .
Two months prior to the convention, candidate . Amid the convention, anti-Vietnam war activists were strident in attempting to get their peace-related policies .
After a contentious and challenging convention, the “” was defeated, and .
Violent police clashes
Outside the convention, with the intention of airing their grievances with U.S. policies both at home and abroad.
Chicago police officers violently forced protesters out of areas where they were not permitted, and .
On the evening of Aug. 28, 1968, a brutal instance of disorder took place in downtown Chicago. Known as the , approximately 5,000 protesters blocked a downtown intersection. When police waded in to clear the crowd, officers were observed to have an .Archival footage of the 1968 Battle of Michigan Avenue.
The events of the physically violent Battle of Michigan Avenue and the rhetorically violent debate over the inclusion of the peace plank in the party’s platform were broadcast nearly simultaneously. The narrative cast by the juxtaposition of images .
Adaptive learning
Following the 1968 riots, the city of Chicago released its own report of radical protest leaders, who later .
Other official takes on the 1968 convention-related violence took a much less charitable view of police action. Findings of a 1968 study group on the convention riots, published as Rights in Conflict or the , concluded that what took place amounted to a police riot. The response by police during melees like the Battle of Michigan Avenue was described as unrestrained and indiscriminate.
More recently, Chicago has faced challenges in responding to mass protests. In the aftermath of the , a period of during May and June of 2020.
In an analysis of the response, a found that authorities were outflanked, unequipped and unprepared to respond to the scale of the unrest.
Challenges to managing civil disorder have created adaptive learning opportunities. For example, in the lead-up to this year’s Democratic National Convention, . In that revision, points related to the preservation of constitutional protections for free speech were explicitly mentioned, and specifications were provided for arresting persons who pose a public safety threat.
The city’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications has engaged in public outreach with a addressing specific public safety aspects of the convention like and information on
Improving responses
Whether it’s from the threat of political violence, an upended political process or the potential for expressions of discontent with U.S. policy related to the Israel-Hamas war, challenges to an orderly convention exist.
To avoid a potentially disastrous outcome for the convention, two factors can contribute to a constructive outcome: remembering the past and adaptive learning.
Reflecting on the events of 1968 puts the current divisiveness and potential for chaos in a larger context. Problems that are faced in managing 2024 style civil disorder in America are intense, but not unprecedented or unique.
Adaptive learning by analyzing past episodes of civil disorder in Chicago has allowed for revisions to current policies and plans. Those revisions will lead to improved response actions for any unrest on the streets during the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
By Associate Professor Jack L. Rozdilsky, Disaster and Emergency Management, 91ɫ
This article is republished from .
