Chicago Clears Jail Space, Routes Businesses Preparing for Possible DNC Protests

The city of Chicago is preparing for mass arrests and protests ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) starting Monday, clearing jail space and boarding up establishments, according to multiple reports.

Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced in July that they would prepare court facilities for mass arrests of the protests surrounding the DNC, seconds to a press release. In case the protests turn violent, several local businesses are using plywood to block doors and windows to prevent possible destruction, WGN Chicago informed.

“We know from past experiences that something could happen, so we want to be proactive and get ahead of it,” Scott Shapiro, owner of a men's clothing store in Chicago, told WGN Chicago.

Judge Evans stated in the July press release that the court system will remain open from 8 a.m. to midnight to handle cases.

“We have been meeting for weeks with more than 50 people from county, city, state and federal agencies to prepare for the possibility of multiple arrests,” Evans said in the news release. “We want to ensure that the police can focus on providing security and that the rights of those in custody are scrupulously respected. We thank our government colleagues and our judicial staff for their continued cooperation in this important effort “.

The Cook County Circuit Court announced that judges also cleared their schedules of any “non-essential court proceedings” in preparation for the protesters, the news release states. The court has a separate plan in case of potential overflow, which states that those arrests would be processed by the Chicago Police Department.

The “DNC March Coalition” is an organization of about 200 anti-Israel groups that plan to begin protesting Monday, The Washington Post informed. The group was given a permit to protest and city officials reversed an earlier decision to ban sound systems and portable toilets.

A pro-Israel group also plans to protest amid pro-Palestinian groups, according to The Washington Post. The city of Chicago initially denied the pro-Israel group a permit, claiming it would be “interference.” but later reversed the decision and allowed a short period on the speaker's platform.

“We hope the police are safe,” Evans he said in a PBS interview this Tuesday. “We hope that everything will go well, but in the event of mass arrests, what we've done is we've introduced an order that sets up a facility … that will be set aside specifically to deal with these types of cases.”

“What we don't want to do is burn out judges,” Evans said in the interview.

The Democratic National Convention is set will take place from August 19 to 22.

The Cook County Circuit Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Featured Image: Screenshot/YouTube/WGN News

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