Chicago protest today: Pro-Palestinian demonstrators block DuSable Lake Shore Drive downtown
Video captures confrontation between demonstrators, Chicago police
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A pro-Palestinian protest shut down DuSable Lake Shore Drive for hours in both directions downtown on Saturday afternoon.
It was the 10th time since the war began overseas that Palestinian supporters have gathered to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, according to organizers.
The protest began at 1 p.m. at Buckingham Fountain before thousands of demonstrators spilled out to the streets. The group walked out onto DuSable Lake Shore Drive before moving onto Jackson Drive, heading toward Columbus.
"We're telling them, 'No business as usual.' We're not going to allow you to do business. That means we're going to shut down your major thoroughfare for hours, if we have to," said protest organizer Hatem Abudayyeh.
The majority of protesters eventually ended up back at Buckingham Fountain, but some lingered on DuSable Lake Shore Drive around 4:45 p.m. Traffic began to flow again just after 5 p.m., and DuSable Lake Shore Drive fully reopened by 5:30 p.m.
While the demands remain the same, the crowds of pro-Palestinian supporters continue to grow with each gathering.
"They're counting on our fatigue, and they are counting on us to forget and move on, and we keep showing up. And, each protest gets bigger and bigger, and each demonstration gets a little bit more disobedient in the sense that we are shutting streets down in a way that we never have before," said Anwaar, a demonstrator.
Chicago police were trying to control the crowds while also rerouting traffic. At one point, cellphone video showed a clash between demonstrators and police officers.
Layth Awad captured a video while, he says, he and other protestors were trying to get through the police barricade to DuSable Lake Shore Drive.
"I was successfully able to get over the barricade, and we were on the streets, peacefully, just standing, asking for people to see us and see the people of Gaza," Awad said.
There's no word yet if anyone was hurt or arrested in the fray.
Organizers say they will continue to protest until a ceasefire is called in Gaza.
