Pirate's Cove

It’s almost like the Democrats who run Chicago are expecting violence and law breaking

Chicago creates new court to handle the expected mass arrests during Democratic National Convention

Chicago courts and police are preparing for potential mass arrests outside the Democratic National Convention in a city where violent images of officers beating demonstrators at the turbulent 1968 event have loomed ahead of this year’s conference.

Court officials have announced that a defunct courtroom at a Chicago police station will temporarily reopen to process and release dozens of people, if necessary.

Chicago police — which paid out millions of taxpayer dollars to defend and settle lawsuits related to misconduct during 2020 protests — also vowed to respect demonstrators’ civil rights and have prepared for unrest with live drills featuring actors playing screaming protesters.

In other words, the police are going to be held back from actually dealing with troublemakers, and, really, most of them are going to be barely engaged, not wanting politicians and the media from excoriating them for doing the job of stopping criminals.

But civil rights groups and the city’s police watchdog have raised “serious concerns” about “mass arrest” policies and law enforcement’s capacity to responsibly handle potentially thousands of people marching in the streets and near the United Center, where the convention will be held.

Dozens of groups are planning to protest Democratic support for Israel’s war in Gaza during the convention.

It sure looks like these groups know what the “protesters” are going to do, and want the police to just stay out of it. Will the Chicago PD be allowed to arrest the pro-Hamas demonstrators when they start defacing property? Break things? Make physical threats? Will the Credentialed Media show all the Palestinian and Hamas flags being flown in the streets of Chicago?

“Police should be looking to de-escalate engagements with protestors, and must not use interactions as a pretext for mass arrests, violence, or retaliation,” Edwin C. Yohnka, director of communications and public policy at the ACLU of Illinois, said last week in response to plans for a security perimeter at the event.

Why is it on the police in this situation? If it’s a peaceful protest there’s no need for the cops to get involved. If they don’t want to be arrested do not break the law. If you can’t do the time don’t do the crime.

“Simply engaging in First Amendment activity, including peaceful activity that may cause inconvenience to others, is never a reason for arrest. Arrests should not be a tool for suppressing free expression,” he added.

It’s illegal to vandalize buildings and other property. It’s illegal to lock people in their buildings, and to harass them when they are coming out of buildings. Do not block their cars, do not beat on their cars. Do not block roads illegally. Do not interfere and attack police officers who are doing their jobs. If the demonstrators do not want to be arrested do not break the law.

Cook County judges have worked to clear their civil and criminal court calendars, and Chicago jurors won’t be summoned that week for one of the busiest courthouses in Illinois.

In other words, the powers that be know there will be lots and lots of lawbreakers, the majority of which will be Democrat voters. What are the optics at the DNC of streets full of people flying Palestinian flags, wearing Intifada keffiyahs, and many wearing Muslim garb railing about Israel and the United States? But, then, the Democratic Party is chock full of Jew and America haters and supporters of Muslim terrorism, and the politicians and such are courting their vote.