The growing unrest against war has raised parallels with the 1968 Democratic Convention, also in Chicago, which was marred by protests against the Vietnam War and derailed by violent policing efforts. “Look, we believe in free speech, and we’re going to allow people to protest and say whatever it is they want to say,” Gov. JB Pritzker said. “But the reality is, we’re also going to make sure that people have ingress and egress and that they’re safe in our state.”

“That extra time is invaluable and you blissfully choose to ignore that fact,” Ald. Ray Lopez posted on X.

As Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza continues, it’s unclear whether the host city mayor and President Joe Biden see eye-to-eye on the policy issue that threatens to tear apart their party before the November election.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker called for “new leadership” at the Chicago Transit Authority this week, ratcheting up the pressure on Mayor Brandon Johnson to make a decision on the CTA’s embattled president, Dorval Carter. But when reporters asked multiple questions about CTA leadership during a post-City Council press conference today, Johnson dodged each one.

These task forces will be led by the federal attorney’s offices, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which will all work alongside local law enforcement officers, per the Biden administration.

A new report published by Stone Real Estate shows record-high retail vacancy of more than 30 percent. The annual report had shown a vacancy rate of about 15 percent in 2019.

“The focus of our coalition and the protest in August is Palestine, yes,” said Hatem Abudayyeh, national chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network. “But this conference has folks here from all across the U.S., representing all the social sectors and movements who want the Democrats to be accountable to the communities that have always gotten them elected.”

“I’ll be doggone, I don’t see the Black folks getting that kind of help,” Ald. Emma Mitts said at Friday’s meeting. “I don’t see my kids and my children and my neighborhood getting that type of support.”

“The goal for this administration and current City Council leadership is to find more than one way to defund the police. Their goal is to take more of the police budget and reallocate it to social workers and nonprofits,” Ald. Anthony Napolitano said about Johnson’s People’s Plan. “Their goal is to fund more nonprofits, who in the end will help them come election time.”

“If the whole point of the change in the funding formula was more districtwide equity, it is concerning to know that some schools report the exact opposite. It would be a disservice to simply say CPS funding is now going from schools in affluent areas to schools in less affluent areas. It would be a shame if any students are negatively affected, and to ensure this doesn’t happen, more scrutiny is needed.”

Dexter Reed, unprovoked, shot at Chicago Police first, according to police body cam video and COPA, the historically anti-police Chicago Office of Police Accountability. Reed had a gun, he did not have a permit to carry. According to the video, he wounded one officer at the beginning of his spree. And Reed was killed. If Reed had been a better shot, a Chicago Police officer would be dead, a black officer.

‘Vote for the money for these immigrants today and we coming for those seats, you can believe that,’ one woman said during the meeting. Following the meeting, Mayor Brandon Johnson laughed about the citizen’s threatening to recall him and insisted that past mayors have done worse.

“We’re down over 2,000 police officers and how can you deter crime when folks know that there’s not enough police officers out there,” Ald. Chris Taliaferro, a former Chicago Police Department officer and current member of the city’s Public Safety Committee, said. “We’re not putting the emphasis on policing and we’re letting police officers attrition out and not replacing them responsibly.”

State Rep. Dan Ugaste filed new legislation Wednesday making it a felony to block “an exceptionally busy public right-of-way” for more than five minutes in a way that would prevent police or other first responders from getting through.

Led by Fridays For Future, hundreds of environmental activists took to the streets to urge President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and call for investment in clean energy, sustainable transportation, resilient infrastructure, quality healthcare, clean air, safe water and nutritious food, according to youth speakers.

“I will note, as I said upfront, this case is not over,” Judge Pamela McLean Meyerson said after delivering her ruling, “that count one, the constitutional claim, remains pending.”