Over 100 arrested in Israel-Hamas war protest inside Ogilvie Transportation Center
Thousands head to pro-Israel protest in Washington, DC from Chicago area
CHICAGO (WLS) -- More than 100 people were arrested at a protest against the Israel-Hamas war downtown Chicago Monday.
"I grieve for everything that happened on October 7th and everything that's happened since, but there's no justification for anything that's going on right now, and we need a ceasefire," said demonstrator Jonah Karsh.
There were 106 arrests Monday after a group entered the Ogilvie Transportation Center and refused to leave. The protest lasted about four hours.
As hundreds of protestors were inside, the area was surrounded by Chicago police and members of the SWAT team outside. The protesters include hundreds of Jews and allies from Milwaukee, Kansas City, Detroit and Indianapolis.
"We came here from cities all across the Midwest to demand Ceasefire, to demand freedom and safety for Palestinians. As Jewish people, to say not in our name, no more violence in Gaza," said Malkah Bird, who traveled from Indianapolis. "As a Jewish person, we value freedom, safety, justice, liberation for all people. That includes Palestinians."
Protesters made their way inside the Ogilvie Transportation Center to get the attention of the leaders inside the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.
"We knew this was important time for our movement to speak because the first step to our long-term goal, which is an end to the occupation, is a cease-fire, and a cease-fire now," protester Daniel Epstein said.
Former Chicago Teachers Union President Jesse Sharkey was among those arrested, and the CTU's vice president Jackson Potter spoke out against Israel's bombing of Gaza.
"As educators, we cannot remain silent at this moment, with so much carnage, death and destruction," said Potter.
"I came out here from Iowa because it felt incredibly important, as an American and as a Jew to call for a cease-fire and to say, 'not in our name and not with our taxpayer money,'" protester Ariel Levin said.
Dan Goldwin and thousands of others from the local Chicago Jewish community are heading to Washington, D.C. Monday evening to rally for Israel.
"It is a literal planes, trains and automobiles kind of moment. And it's multigenerational, there's grandparents, it's kids," he said.
Goldwin also said Monday's protest at the train station does not represent how most Jews feel.
"What happened at Ogilvie today was an atrocity in my opinion. Some really extreme groups who try to present themselves from being part of the Jewish community are really not when it comes to their political views took over the train station," he said.
Half a dozen buses left Monday night from the suburbs for the March for Israel in Washington. Darryl Temkin of Deerfield is among those making the 13-hour road trip.
"This is just a horrible thing on October 7th, and the world doesn't seem to know that, and we're going to make sure they do," Temkin said.
At least tens of thousands of people are expected to gather on the National Mall for a midday rally Tuesday in support of Israel.
"We are rallying in D.C., because our nation's capital, so that way, our leaders hear the message, loud and clear, that we need our hostages home," said Rabbi Shaanan Gelman with Kehilat Chovevei Tzion.
"I think a lot of people in the community are scared. A lot of people are hurting, and they want to express that hurt and express that concern, express solidarity with the people in Israel," said Rabbi Levi Mostofsky with the Chicago Rabbinical Council.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated the Washington rally a "Level 1" security event, the highest category of risk assessment, though officials say they're unaware of any specific threats.
