At least 72 people were arrested Tuesday night after an unsanctioned demonstration outside the Israeli Consulate, legal observers say.
The arrests came after roughly 100 protesters commanded the attention of an even greater number of police and journalists outside the consulate. The resulting two-hour standoff — which included an impromptu march through a few downtown streets after authorities moved demonstrators away from the building — appeared to end without any significant use of force by authorities, but drew harsh criticism from legal observers who accused the Chicago Police Department of violating the participants’ right to free speech.
The protest began around 7 p.m. with demonstrators chanting “long live the intifada” as they headed toward the consulate, which is located in the Accenture Building on Madison Street. In the context of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the term intifada has historically referred to an uprising against Israel using both violent and nonviolent means.
After marching in the street activists scuffle with officers while protesting the war in Gaza outside the Israeli Consulate during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Detained demonstrators are processed by police in the 100 block of South Canal Street, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Detained demonstrators are processed by police in the 100 block of South Canal Street on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)People watch from a residential tower as police stand guard after clashing with demonstrators and news media outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police stand between demonstrators of differing viewpoints outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A detained demonstrator yells out his information to legal observers standing nearby in the 100 block of South Canal Street on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police officers stand guard outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police officers stand guard outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police officers stand guard outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A detained demonstrator is led into a police wagon after being processed by police in the 100 block of South Canal Street on Aug. 20, 2024. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of Accenture Tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Bike police try to corral protesters in the street after activists scuffled with officers while protesting the war in Gaza outside the Israeli Consulate during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)People watch as police detain a person after activists scuffled with officers while protesting the war in Gaza outside the Israeli Consulate during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Police detain a person after activists scuffled with officers while protesting the war in Gaza outside the Israeli Consulate during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
Bike police block the sidewalk after officers scuffled with activists outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists lock arms after scuffling with officers while protesting the war in Gaza outside the Israeli Consulate during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Police face off with activists after scuffling outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention Tuesday Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Activists scuffle with officers outside the Israeli Consulate while protesting the war in Gaza during the second day of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Demonstrators march in front of the Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A police supervisor instructs officers to push forward as they clash with demonstrators outside Accenture Tower, on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators and news media outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police survey activity by demonstrators in front of the Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators outside Accenture Tower, 500 W. Madison St., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators outside Accenture Tower, 500 W. Madison St., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators outside Accenture Tower, 500 W. Madison St., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators planned to protest in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching toward the United Center during the Democratic National Convention. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators and news media outside Accenture Tower, 500 W. Madison St., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators planned to protest in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching toward the United Center during the Democratic National Convention. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police clash with demonstrators and news media outside Accenture Tower, 500 W. Madison St., Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators planned to protest in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching toward the United Center during the Democratic National Convention. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Demonstrators lock arms while marching past Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A demonstrator does his nighttime prayer as people walk around him outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Demonstrators march past Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police stand guard after clashing with demonstrators and news media outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police officers adjust their helmet shields outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A detained demonstrator yells out his information to legal observers standing nearby in the 100 block of South Canal Street on Aug. 20, 2024. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A demonstrator holds a sign outside Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group of demonstrators protested against the Israel-Hamas war in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching in the Loop during the Democratic National Convention being held at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)A police supervisor instructs a man holding an Israeli flag to move away from demonstrators marching in front of the Accenture Tower on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. A group planned to protest in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching toward the United Center during the Democratic National Convention. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Police officers stand in front of Accenture Tower on both sides of the street ahead of a planned protest on Aug. 20, 2024, in Chicago. Demonstrators planned to protest in front of the tower, which houses the Israeli consulate, before marching toward the United Center during the Democratic National Convention. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
