Esra Tekin
19 August 2024•Update: 19 August 2024
ISTANBUL
Hundreds of protesters on Sunday marched down Michigan Avenue, urging Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democratic Party to end the conflict in the Gaza Strip, as well as improve access to reproductive health care.
The first major protest, one of several planned, began Sunday evening near Trump Tower at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive, WTTW broadcaster reported.
It began with a rally before moving south along Michigan Avenue and marching to Grant Park, the historic site of the 1968 DNC clashes between Chicago Police and anti-Vietnam War protesters.
Kacey Murray of Colorado traveled to Chicago to express her support for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris's push for federal protections that ensure abortion access nationwide.
“I can’t believe we’re out here again,” said Murray, who was in high school when Roe v. Wade guaranteed a constitutional right to abortion.
The US Supreme Court reversed that decision in 2022.
The other protesters at the rally expressed their desire for Harris to take stronger action to protect the Palestinian people in Gaza.
“We want to send a message. Palestine must be free,” said a protester named Andy Clarno.
Hannah from Chicago, who chose not to reveal her full name, held a sign featuring an image of Harris with the words “Bombala Harris” on one side and “stop killing my family and I’ll think about voting for you” on the other.
“She does hold the power to make a change,” said Hannah, who has family in the Gaza Strip.
A brief moment of tension occurred when officers attempted to separate three anti-abortion protesters from the larger group.
Both officers and leaders of the march worked quickly to defuse the situation, allowing the marchers to proceed.
Throughout the event, protesters alternated chants advocating for a “Free Palestine” and supporting abortion rights, reflecting the intersection of the two major issues confronting the Democratic Party.
The march culminated in Grant Park, beneath the monument to General Logan, the site of the most violent confrontation between protesters and Chicago police in 1968.
