CPD, the Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC,) the U.S. Secret Service and Mayor Brandon Johnson held a public safety briefing Monday morning, saying the city is secure, safe, and ready for the crowds.
Hundreds of police officer converged on Union Park this morning just as a rally organized by the Coalition to March on the DNC was getting ready to start. Much like Sunday's protest on Michigan Avenue, there was no protective gear in sight; just lines of officers flanking the entire city-designated parade route.
"What is being questioned is, can the Chicago Police Department respond to first amendment activity without arresting people or without it turning violent. Yes, we can. And there is no reason to have someone out in riot gear if no one is rioting," said CPD Supt. Larry Snelling.
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For months, CPD has focused on First Amendment training for its officers, seeking to avoid projecting an image of force that would unnecessarily create a confrontational image.
At the morning security briefing, Snelling stressed the importance of coordinating with protestors so that everyone is on the same page.
"The organizers in some of these protests have done a very good job policing themselves and policing each other. We've worked in partnership. We've talked to them," he said
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That cooperation is being credited with keeping arrests to a minimum Sunday, but Snelling said they are also on alert for those purposely looking to cause trouble. He acknowledged officers recovered several bricks placed in Union Park in recent says.
"When you have a large group of people who want to express their first amendment rights, sometimes you have number of people, or you get a group of people, who infiltrate that group and under that umbrella they will try to commit acts of violence or will try to escalate a situation," he said. "We are out there to stop that before it starts."
The Secret Service is under scrutiny since a botched security plan at a Trump rally ended up with the former president being shot in the ear.
Mayor Brandon Johnson, OEMC deliver DNC security update
It's an all-hands-on-deck approach. From security outside the Dirksen federal courthouse to planned street closures around the UC, McCormick Place, and hotels in Streeterville where Vice President Kamala Harris and other delegates will be staying.
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Snelling said he was proud of how officers and protestors interacted.
"We're expecting large protests throughout the city for the rest of the week," Snelling said. "We're prepared for that. We hope for the exact same outcome for every protects that everyone gets to express First Amendment rights. We don't have any incidents. If that occurs, then we have had the successful Democratic National Convention we can imagine. We would prefer not to have clashes. We would prefer not to have to make arrests if we don't have to and we will avoid those things as long as we are not committing acts of vandalism or violence. We must protect our citizens and we must protect our city."
Snelling said CPD is prepared for pop-up protests to take place throughout the city, saying they will allow those to go forward as long as remain peaceful. But he did emphasize that one group's insistence that they are permitted to protest later Monday afternoon within the security perimeter on Madison is not true and will not be allowed.
City emergency officials encourage residents to sign up for DNC alerts by texting 'DNC' to 226787. The next public safety briefing will be Tuesday at 11 a.m.