A few thousand demonstrators were on scene at Union Park in Chicago on Monday to protest the Biden-Harris administration's handling of the Israel-Hamas war. 

Carrying Palestinian flags and signs with slogans like "no arms embargo, no vote," "land back," and posters calling for the United States to end aid to Israel, the demonstrators gathered near a stage to hear organizers and guests speak. 

"Chicago draws the line," an organizer said while leading a chant from the stage. "We stand up for Palestine."

The March on the DNC, which is led by a coalition of progressive groups, has demanded that the White House end all forms of U.S. aid to Israel. The group says that Israel is committing a genocide of Palestinian people in Gaza and that the U.S. has enabled it.

Israel has denied that its actions in Gaza, which began in the aftermath of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel, constitute a genocide. South Africa has brought a case against Israel before the International Court of Justice, alleging that the country's actions in Gaza have "genocidal intent." The ICJ said in a July ruling that Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal.

The coalition's website says it is also marching for immigrant, LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights, more investment in jobs, education, the environment, health care and housing, the right to unionize and strike, and advocating for community control of police.

Daniel Garcia, a protester from Chicago, told CBC News he was protesting to show that "the progressive stance is to be against the genocide, and the administration currently conducting it," referring to the Democrats.

He said that Kamala Harris, now pulling double duty as both vice-president and the Democratic presidential candidate, has been "in full co-operation" with the Biden administration's handling of the war.

"I don't think her presidency, if she were to win, would be any different," he said.

Protester likely voting for Harris, to stop Trump

Chicago resident Ellen Garza said she's been demonstrating around the Israel-Palestine conflict for 40 years. She said she typically votes Democrat and will likely vote for Harris in November — if only to stop Republican Donald Trump.

"Fascism is at our door, and we have to fight it. And we only have a two-party system. It's all we've got," she said.

Having Harris at the top of the ticket hasn't changed anything for Garza when it comes to what she referred to as the "genocide in Gaza." 

"It has changed everything for me because we have to keep Trump out of the White House. The fascist movement is real and it's a danger and we have to stop it," she said.

"So it's a big dilemma. It's a dilemma that the Democratic Party always finds themselves in."

A small crowd of counter-protesters holding Israeli flags gathered near the park's perimeter, cordoned off by police. There was no contact with pro-Palestinian protesters, who shouted "say it loud, say it clear: we don't want no Zionists here."

Earlier this year, March on the DNC organizers sued the City of Chicago after officials rejected their requests for protest permits. The city later agreed to let the demonstration be held at Union Park, near the site of the convention, and a judge okayed the group's 1.6-kilometre marching route.

Some analysts have drawn parallels between these protests and those at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where protesters and police clashed in a confrontation over the Vietnam War.

Hatem Abudayyeh, a spokesperson for March on the DNC, told CBC News on Sunday that the group is calling on top Democrats to stop supporting funding for the Israeli military campaign in Gaza.

"If it were not for U.S. tax dollars and U.S. weapons, Biden could turn off the tap of money and weapons immediately. He could have done it way back in October," said Abudayyeh, who is also national chair of the United States Palestinian Community Network. The U.S. Congress passed a $14-billion military aid package for Israel in April.

Governor expecting peaceful protests

Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker told CNN on Sunday that "troublemakers" attending the protest will be arrested and convicted.

"But the fact is the vast majority of people protesting are peaceful protesters … and we're going to protect that," he said.

Biden said late last week that the U.S. and other mediators are "closer than ever" to negotiating a Gaza ceasefire deal. Palestinian militant group Hamas, which the Canadian government has designated a terrorist organization, said any claims that there has been progress on reaching terms for a ceasefire are an illusion.

Harris has expressed sympathy for the plight of the Palestinian people, though she has stopped short of agreeing to an arms embargo on Israel, maintaining that Israel has a right to defend itself. A movement of 36 "uncommitted" Democratic delegates have pushed for the embargo.

Democrats must stop war funding, says protester

"I've heard a lot of things about things being vaguely bad, but we'd like them to actually take action. They can say that they condemn the genocide all they want but they are the ones funding it," said Audrey Haberman, a member of the Chicago chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace who was attending the demonstration in Union Park. 

While Harris's candidacy has injected some hope into Democratic voters who see her as more progressive than Biden on Israel, pro-Palestinian activists maintain that their demands have not changed with Harris atop the ticket.

"Kamala Harris represents the administration. She represents the policies of the United States as they reflect Palestine and Israel, and nobody's doing anything different," said Abudayyeh.