CHICAGO — Justice Department officers met and accompanied a pro-Gaza protest along its permitted route north of the Democratic National Convention on 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.
Participants on Thursday were met by green vest officers from the Department of Justice’s Community Resource Services division, who accompanied the demonstration along its designated route.
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Local law enforcement began corralling the press away from the street, threatening to revoke credentials from journalists who ventured off the sidewalk. A previous version of this story said CRS also took part in local law enforcement efforts to separate journalists from the protest, which the Justice Department later denied.
DOJ officials noted to the Washington Examiner that CRS assets similarly “provided de-escalation services” during the marches in downtown Milwaukee on July 15 and 17, on the outskirts of the Republican National Convention.
CRS also carried out “de-escalation and conflict resolution services” at protests outside of the DNC from August 18-21, according to DOJ officials.
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“As an impartial, third-party neutral component established by Congress in 1964, CRS does not take sides between community groups, or between law enforcement and community groups, during public demonstrations,” Justice Department officials told the Washington Examiner. “CRS does not investigate, prosecute or enforce laws at any time. CRS’s mission during demonstrations is to safeguard First Amendment rights by de-escalating tensions.”
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include a response from the Justice Department.
