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CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police said Thursday that they are not changing any of their tactics and are ready for a final night of pro-Palestinian demonstrations outside the Democratic National Convention, after a peaceful march that resulted in no injuries or arrests.
On Wednesday night, more than 2,000 pro-Palestinian protesters marched peacefully past a park where pro-Israel demonstrators had gathered earlier. That demonstration came a day after violent clashes between police and protesters led to 56 arrests at a much smaller, unsanctioned protest outside the Israeli Consulate in downtown Chicago.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said the protest Wednesday night ended without arrests and that no one was injured.
Snelling praised the organizers of the Wednesday protest, saying it’s an example of how people can hold First Amendment-protected demonstrations peacefully by collaborating in advance with law enforcement.
“Did we have a couple dustups? Sure, but those things were quickly rectified,” he said.
The biggest protest so far, which attracted about 3,500 people on Monday, was largely peaceful and resulted in 13 arrests, most related to a breach of security fencing. They did not gain access to the inner security perimeter at the United Center, where the convention is taking place.
Two people were arrested Sunday night during another mostly peaceful march.
The Coalition to March on the DNC, which organized the march on Monday, planned its second permitted demonstration of the week on Thursday, with a rally in a park near the United Center followed by a march through adjacent streets.