DNC 2024 stay updates: Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to talk amid Gaza protest arrests

The Guardian’s George Chidi, who’s reporting from Chicago, writes there was a standoff between demonstrators and the police:

A minimum of two individuals have been arrested in a fenced space between a park and the United Middle, as protesters started disabling fences within the slim hole.

Riot police lined up and marched protesters collectively, driving them again by way of a niche created within the fence. As police repaired one gap within the fence, masked protesters unlatched holes in different elements.

The standoff diminished right into a quiet vigil round 5.20 CT, with about 200 individuals on one facet of the fence and equal numbers of cops on the opposite.

Outdoors of the conference, 1000’s of protesters have been demonstrating towards the US assist for Israel amid the bombardment of Gaza.

Dozens of protesters had damaged by way of a fence arrange by police close to the United Middle, the place the conference is being held, the Related Press reported.

“We’ve got to play our half within the stomach of the beast to cease the genocide, to finish US help to Israel and stand with Palestine,” stated Hatem Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for the Coalition to March on the DNC, informed the AP.

Good night, US politics weblog readers, and thanks for becoming a member of us as we cowl the primary evening of the Democratic nationwide conference in Chicago. Only a few weeks in the past, we have been anticipating the four-day occasion to be all about Joe Biden and his marketing campaign for a second time period, however all the things modified after the president bowed out of the race and allowed his vice-president, Kamala Harris, to take over because the social gathering’s presidential nominee. Now within the closing months of each his presidency and his greater than 50-year profession in politics, Biden stays an essential determine amongst Democrats, and can give the keynote speech on the conference this night.

Earlier than Biden takes the stage (which we’re anticipating at about 10pm CT), we’ll hear from first girl Jill Biden, and luminaries from throughout the social gathering’s ideological spectrum, together with Hillary Clinton, the social gathering’s first feminine nominee for president, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the New York congresswoman and progressive icon.

The conference kicked off at 5.15pm CT amid protests close to the conference middle towards the warfare in Gaza.

Right here’s what else we’ll be watching out for this night:

• Tonight’s theme is “For the Individuals”, and is meant to showcase how Democrats are, nicely, “combating for the American individuals”, in line with the conference’s organizing committee.

• The vice-president is predicted to look this night, as is her working mate, Minnesota governor Tim Walz. However don’t count on both to talk – Harris will ship the ultimate handle of the conference on Thursday, and Walz will communicate to the group on Wednesday.

• Harris and Walz have each already been formally nominated by the social gathering, however the conference will nonetheless maintain a ceremonial nomination of the Minnesota governor this night.

• Audio system this night will run the gamut, from members of Congress to state leaders, together with longtime South Carolina consultant and Biden confidante James Clyburn, New York governor Kathy Hochul and progressive Texas congresswoman Jasmine Crockett.

• Organized labor will likely be well-represented this night, with joint remarks from six labor teams scheduled, in addition to an handle from United Auto Employees president Shawn Fain.