Palestinians, activists lead solidarity march against Israel's Gaza genocide on first day of DNC in Chicago

The first day of the US Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago kicked off with a demonstration and march of more than 240 groups led by Palestinian activists, setting the tone for a party gathering that can't ignore Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

Organisers began setting up mid-morning with the efficiency of a movement that has been building momentum for 10 months. Protest signs were lined up on the lawn, there was a press sign-in table for journalists to register, and organisers set up booths with literature for people to learn about their causes, in many ways akin to a convention.

Though the Coalition to March on the DNC represented a range of issues, the two main demands of the march were a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and an arms embargo to Israel.

"It's absolutely important to be here in this beautiful broad coalition of organisations and people of all different ages and generations and statuses to rise up and demand and end to genocide in Gaza and demand an end to US aid to Israel," Nazek Sankari, co-chair of the US Palestinian Community Network Chicago and of the Coalition to March on the DNC, told The New Arab.

"I think the Palestinian liberation movement as a whole in the US definitely played some part in Joe Biden stepping down. We put a lot of pressure on him and his administration and said enough is enough. We're not gonna deal with that," she said.

The crowd gradually grew to thousands in the park near the DNC venue. At around 3 pm, the march began, as protesters held signs, Palestinian flags and chanted.

The police presence was significant, though not nearly as heavy as what was seen at the Republican convention. Members of the Chicago Police Department lined the sides of the streets, while marshals (affiliated with the protesters) wearing yellow vests acted as barriers between the demonstrators and the police.

For the most part, the march went smoothly and peacefully, though towards the end a small group of protesters breached the police barrier, resulting in several arrests.

Unlike the 10 months of demonstrations during the time that Biden was the Democratic presumptive nominee, there is now much more of a range of support for Kamala Harris within pro-Palestinian activists.

Some held signs reading "Killer Kamala", others held signs in support of her, while most held signs focusing on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. One man held a sign reading "We're trying to help you, Kamala", an indication of the pro-Palestinian camp's concern that if she can't distinguish herself from Biden on Palestine, she risks losing support.

Elena Gormley, co-chair of the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America, told TNA, "We're here as part of this mass movement demanding that Kamala Harris immediately commit to an embargo on weapons sales to Israel, commit to an immediate ceasefire and to really show that we know this election is going to be close and that she really needs to win votes of people demanding a ceasefire in order to win."