Justice Department deployed to police DNC ceasefire protests

CHICAGO — Justice Department officers met and accompanied a pro-Gaza protest along its permitted route north of the Democratic National Convention Thursday night.

Earlier this week, some participants in the March on the DNC coalition broke from the permitted parade route approved by the city and broke through the first layer of security fencing just north of the United Center, roughly 800 feet from where President Joe Biden was slated to deliver the keynote address on the opening night of the convention.

Protesters also attempted to march to the same location on Wednesday but were rebuffed by police from entering Park 578, the site of the security breach Monday night.

Unlike previous protests this week, participants were met by green vest officers from DOJ’s Community Resource Services division, who accompanied the protest along its designated route.

Both CRS and local law enforcement began corralling the press away from the street, threatening to revoke credentials from journalists who ventured off the sidewalk.

Both DOJ’s main off and CRS did not respond to comment on why these resources were deployed Thursday night, unlike past protests.