On Tuesday, the second night of the Democratic National Convention, dozens of Chicago police officers are stationed outside the Israeli embassy, a skyscraper, where a pro-Palestinian demonstration is scheduled to take place.
Police had closed down most of the entrances to the building on Tuesday, allowing commuters to come in only one entrance where armed officers were also posted. Many of the building’s shops were closed. Martha Hill, a spokeswoman for the Metra commuter rail service, says train service is running as normal.
Meanwhile, the sites of demonstrations from the previous night were largely quiet. Thirteen people were arrested during Monday’s protests, most related to a “brief breach” of security fencing “within sight and sound of the United Center,” the city’s police superintendent said.
In downtown Chicago, security was tighter than usual — including law enforcement officers with weapons slung across their bodies — outside the office building that houses the Israeli Consulate and a major city transportation hub. Metal barricades were set up, and an officer said they were preparing for a 7 p.m. demonstration.
The consulate, located about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from the United Center, has been the site of numerous demonstrations since the war in Gaza began in October. It is in a building connected to the Ogilvie Transportation Center, a major commuter rail station.
Israel supporters, including some relatives of people kidnapped by Hamas, gathered earlier in the day at a pro-Israel art installation not far from the consulate to call on US leaders to continue backing Israel and pushing for the release of hostages. The art installation included giant milk cartons bearing photos of some of the hostages.
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