Police Arrest 13 People on First Day of DNC; Security Barrier Reinforced

CHICAGO (CBS) — A total of 13 people were arrested during the first day. Democratic National Convention in Chicago, police said, including about a dozen people from a small group of agitators who crossed the outer security perimeter fence outside the DNC during a much larger protest march.

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling estimated that 3,500 protesters marched from Union Park, a few blocks from the United Center, to Park 578, just north of the arena, Monday afternoon before returning to Union Park, and the vast majority of them remained peaceful.

The demonstration was a demonstration of solidarity with Palestinewith activists calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to US funding to Israel.

Snelling said a small group of agitators within the larger protest crowd removed the bolts from some of the outer fencing around the United Center and knocked down part of the outer security fence around 4:30 p.m. Some people pushed through a gap in the fence and began trying to knock down a second layer of fencing, but police were able to stop them.

“It was a brief violation,” Snelling said.

According to Snelling, some people who broke through the outer fence threw water bottles and other objects at police, and some in the crowd pepper-sprayed officers. The officers suffered only minor injuries.

“We are not going to tolerate vandalism and violence in our city, and we are ready, willing and able to respond to these situations. So we are going to continue to protect the city,” Snelling said. “I couldn’t be more proud of how the Chicago Police Department responded in these circumstances. It highlighted the training and preparation that we have been doing for over a year now.”

In total, 13 people were arrested Monday in connection with the DNC. Snelling said about 10 of them were arrested for crossing the security fence and face charges including trespassing, resisting and obstructing police and aggravated battery on police officers.

“Our officers did not overreact. We were able to clear the area very quickly,” Snelling said.

Snelling said the security perimeter around the United Center has since been strengthened to prevent further breaches during the DNC. Crews were seen adding an additional layer of fencing to the perimeter Tuesday morning.

Jeff Burnside, the U.S. Secret Service's Democratic National Convention coordinator, declined to discuss details of any other changes along the security perimeter, but confirmed that other repairs have been made to the security fence.

“We take a layered approach to all of our security measures and we’re constantly working with our state, local and federal partners to evaluate, make improvements and adjustments, and that’s all we’re doing,” Burnside said. “Our plan was in place, it worked. We’re learning from our experiences and making adjustments as needed.”

The Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild said two of those arrested Monday were hospitalized and claimed police assaulted them, but Snelling denied that, insisting both were taken to the hospital to get needed medication.

“These officers responded flawlessly, and we have body camera footage to prove it. They were not hospitalized for any injuries. As a police department, any time we take someone into custody, if they are on medication or need medication, we make sure they get it,” Snelling said.

Despite the fence breach, Snelling said the CPD did not need to change its public safety strategy during the DNC.

“We cannot foresee every situation that might arise, but if we react and stop it before it gets out of hand, then we will have done our job,” he said.

Snelling said that while the vast majority of people involved in Monday's protest march were peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights, a small group decided to stay put after the protest began to leave the area and breach the fence.

“The people who decided to commit crimes and acts of vandalism remained on site. We responded to this event with our officers who were properly trained to handle the situation, and there were no serious violations that could have been worse if we had not been prepared for this,” he said.

Snelling said officers who responded to the scene after the fence was breached exercised restraint in making the arrests.

“The police could have used more force yesterday than they actually did, and they showed great restraint. We will always encounter opposition to our response. There are people who think we shouldn’t even exist. So of course there will be people who say we were too aggressive,” he said.

The superintendent said police would release body camera footage of Monday's arrests as soon as possible after those arrested had been formally charged.

Snelling rejected allegations by the National Lawyers Guild that two of those arrested claimed they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“Sometimes being in the wrong place at the wrong time is indicative of the choices you make to engage in criminal activity,” he said.