Brandon Johnson says Chicago ‘ready’ for DNC as week filled with protests looms

Despite the threat of looming mass protests in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has insisted that the city is ready for the convention and any demonstrations that try to interfere with it.

Anti-Israel protesters are expected to demonstrate in Chicago throughout the week, as Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at the convention hall. When pressed if there would be chaos in Chicago on ABC News’s This Week on Sunday, Johnson cited the history the city has in hosting major party conventions.

“We are ready for this convention. And, in fact, the city of Chicago, as you know, has hosted the most conventions in our country’s history, because it turns out, we’re actually really good at this,” Johnson said,

“You know, the part that’s actually most exciting, though, in this moment is that this is a party that can handle protests and protecting the First Amendment right, which is fundamental to our democracy, while also strengthening our democracy and speaking to the future of our country,” he added.

While Chicago has hosted the most party nominating conventions in U.S. history, after the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention, which was marred by fiery protests, only one other convention has been held in Chicago — the 1996 DNC. When asked about security concerns surrounding the convention, Johnson again emphasized that the city is prepared.

“Look, our local police department has worked with the Secret Service as well as other local agencies to ensure a safe, peaceful yet vibrant, exciting convention,” Johnson said. “The city of Chicago has been rated number one as it relates to convention centers and how we make sure that we protect people, while also providing an opportunity to see the beauty and the soul of who we are.”

When Johnson was asked if he believes there will be fewer anti-Israel protests with President Joe Biden off of the ticket, he discussed the excitement around Harris’s candidacy within the party but also conceded that protests are “going to happen.”

The Chicago mayor also dismissed concerns about fewer officers in the city police force and proclaimed that “even with the convention going on, not one neighborhood in Chicago will go unprotected.”

The Democratic National Convention, at which Harris is scheduled to accept the party’s nomination in a prime-time speech on Thursday, will begin on Monday in Chicago.