Sadly, this weekend marks the beginning of the second year of the war between Israel and Hamas—at least in terms of the current round of hostilities. The Israelis claim that their military campaign must continue if Hamas is to be wiped from the face of the earth.

Last October, I would have never thought that I would be covering a pro-Palestinian or pro-Israeli demonstration this weekend, at least with war still raging in the Middle East. The world hoped that the Israeli response to the Hamas attack would be short and to the point. The world was wrong.

For the better part of the last 12 months, the headlines have been dominated by events in Gaza. Each time Israel moves further south, the world has hoped that the end was in sight. In recent weeks, attention has shifted from Gaza to Lebanon, Iran, and the West Bank.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has largely ignored President Biden’s efforts to negotiate a permanent peace agreement centered on the ever-elusive two-state solution. He has also ignored Biden’s requests for restraint. Netanyahu is now fulfilling what must be a long Israeli wishlist, which is why there is much speculation over a possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities or oil refineries. For those who are interested, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof published an excellent piece today describing how Netanyahu has played Biden over the last year.

israel’s recent incursion into Lebanon is no longer a minor operation. Over 2,000 people have been killed, and 1.2 million people have been forced to flee their homes. The escalating Israeli bombing campaign will certainly leave many of those who have fled homeless.

Meanwhile, the Israeli settlers in the West Best—religious zealots—continue to make the lives of Palestinians miserable. Notably the New York Times published an article in late September describing how the Israeli military is systematically destroying infrastructure in the West Bank. The mistreatment of Palestinians living in the West Bank is nothing new, as recounted in the Pulitzer Prize winning book authored by Nathan Thrall, A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, but such mistreatment assures continued violent responses from the Palestinians like the attack last week in Tel Aviv that left seven Israelis dead and others injured.

Given what has transpired over the last year, I am no longer naive. I have no doubt that I will be out photographing demonstrations on the second anniversary of October 7th. By then, I suspect all the Israeli hostages will be dead; disease and famine will run rampant in Gaza; West Bank Palestinians will have suffered further indignities at the hands of the militant and self-righteous Israeli settlers; much of Lebanon will be rubble; and the Middle East will be no closer to peace.

Why am I so pessimistic? Because expert after expert has said the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have no endgame. For an excellent discussion of Netanyahu’s lack of an endgame, see a recent op-ed piece from New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, Why Everything Is Suddenly Spiraling for Israel.

The Demonstration. Last fall, the pro-Palestinian demonstrations were energetic and well attended, sometimes bringing close to 10,000 demonstrators into Chicago’s streets. In recent months, attendance at the weekly demonstrations has declined significantly. Nevertheless, the photographers who regularly cover the weekly rallies expected that thousands of demonstrators would turn out for today’s anniversary demonstration. Crowd estimates are always iffy, but the consensus among those I spoke with today was that somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 people turned out, with the number probably closer to 2,000.

At least one of the organizers would take issue with my estimate. At one point as the march crawled along inner Lake Shore Drive, she announced over the speaker system carried by the now familiar maroon Dodge RAM truck that 5,000 people had turned out. She subsequently undercut her credibility when she raised the estimate to 10,000 as the march returned to Jane Byrne Plaza, its starting point. Typically, marchers start leaving during the return trip, so the number would have gone down as the march approached the park rather than up.

At the typical pro-Palestinian demonstration, very few people are present at the announced starting time—today, 2:00 PM, which was the case today. A year into the conflict, the speakers had little if anything new to say. While there were references to Israel’s recent incursions into Lebanon and the related airstrikes, for the most part, the program adhered to what is now a tired formula. As the speakers chanted and read their remarks, the crowd predictably grew in size. Strategically, the endless speeches function as a delay tactic, assuring a larger crowd for the march.

The energy level exhibited by both the speakers and the marchers was relatively low. Yes, the speakers were loud, and at times passionate, but the weekly repetition saps the message of any meaningful energy. Donald Trump faces a similar problem. What once was outrageous still is, but repetition deflates his message’s impact.

I spotted too many people looking down at their screens, a sure sign of boredom, certainly not the visual message that they hope to convey. As the demonstrators marched north on inner Lake Shore Drive, I even noticed several organizers looking at their screen.

The leadership should make an announcement at the beginning of every demonstration, “Put your phones in your purse or pocket, and keep them there until the demonstration wraps.” That is sound advice, not just for pro-Palestinians demonstrators, but for all demonstrators, be they abortion-rights activists, gun-control advocates, Black Lives Matter proponents, pro-Israeli, anti-Putin Russians, or Ukrainians who support their homeland. And it is not just me. Every photographer will tell you that screens kill the vibe.

The March Route. I was shocked when the marchers headed north on Michigan Avenue, rather than south. When Jane Byrne Plaza is the starting point, the marchers always head south to the DuSable Michigan Avenue Bridge spanning the Chicago River, and then they return to the park-like plaza.

Photographically, today’s route really screwed me up. I had assumed i would once again encounter the sunlight racing down the side streets, which means that the Michigan Avenue intersections would be beautifully illuminated. Instead, the northerly route meant virtually the entire march took place on shaded streets, which resulted in blown out highlights and ugly color casts. Yuk.

I was surprised that Chicago Police Department approved the route given its proximity to DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Throughout the past year, more than a few demonstrators have had one goal—to shut down the Drive. One photographer stopped to remind me about the four-hour standoff in the 3400 block of the Drive on January 6th, when fewer than 100 demonstrators spilled from inner Lake Shore Drive in front of Senator Dick Durbin’s residence onto the Drive.

With two exceptions today, the demonstrators remained on inner Lake Shore Drive. The bicycle cops did a good job, sending a clear message not to rush the Drive. When the march turned west onto Schiller, I realized why the organizer’s had chosen the northerly route. Governor J.B. Pritzker lives on Astor Street, so the marchers passed within earshot of the Governor’s mansion. Pritzker probably didn’t hear a single word or a chant even though the demonstrators were loud. He most likely had already departed on a trade mission to Japan.

The Arrests. The lead banner was a block north of the exit from DuSable Lake Shore Drive to Michigan when I noticed a disturbance several blocks ahead. A small crowd had gathered. A large banner was visible. Alert members of the media started to run toward the commotion.

When I arrived, I saw a man and a women in handcuffs accompanied by CPD officers. For a moment, I thought others might leap over the flimsy cyclone fencing, but the police quickly positioned themselves to head off any attempts. As the main body of marchers approached the scene, they began to chant in unison, demanding that the detainees be released.

There was a CPD transport wagon parked on inner Lake Shore Drive, but CPD realized that the two detainees were the red flag that incites the proverbial bull. To calm the situation, the two demonstrators were placed in a CPD cruiser, which quickly sped away.

Particularly disturbing was the look of fear on the woman’s face as the police led her away. Her facial expression revealed what she must have been thinking: ‘Will someone help me? Help me!’ The young man appeared more complacent, or accepting of his immediate fate.

I still don't understand the apparent desire to be arrested, but I have seen my share of demonstrators engaged in activity that they must have known would result in arrest. Maybe there is honor in the symbolic act of civil disobedience, but there are likely hefty legal bills and fines, too. Notably, once the two detainees were out of sight, the march resumed, with the two largely forgotten.

Later in the day, I asked one of the organizers whether the two were “their people.” I was not surprised when he said, “No.” I don’t know for sure, but I suspect the group of demonstrators that came from the north were not what I refer to as heritage-Palestinians.

The Kids. As I have covered the pro-Palestinian demonstrations over the last year, I have watched the children who accompany their parents. Sometimes an adult hands a child the mic, with the kid then jubilantly leading the assembly in a round of chants. Some kids come with drums that they beat enthusiastically. Many wave signs as they join in the chants led by the adults. The kids are often louder and more passionate than the adults, which was true in the case the kid pictured in this article’s cover image. I encountered him at several points along the march route. Every time, he was enthusiastically loud.

If a kid living in Chicago is angry, just how angry must his counterpart living in a tent in Gaza surrounded by rubble be? Put simply, the Israeli military strategy makes no sense. They may be killing the current generation of Hamas adherents, but the IDF’s uncalibrated response to October 7th is creating the next generation of Hamas fighters—the kids who live in Gaza.

Taking a Page Out of the Ukrainian Playbook. The Saturday demonstrations will undoubtedly continue until some sort of permanent truce is reached. If the organizers want more than a few hundred demonstrators to turnout, they need to change their playbook. I would recommend looking to Chicago’s Ukrainian Community for ideas. Over the last 30 months, the Ukrainians have used visually arresting demonstrations to educate the public about their cause. In one instance, they staged a mock air-raid, with participants falling to the ground as if they had been hit by bombs and shrapnel as air-raid sirens blared. For another demonstration, the Ukrainians had women and children carry bloodied dolls and stuffed animals, symbolizing the suffering of Ukrainian children.

For the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainians stationed 365 sentries along Michigan Avenue, starting at Chicago Avenue and ending at the Cultural Center. Each sentry held a placard displaying a large photograph showing what had happened on a particular day during the prior year. The images were graphic, but those shopping on Michigan Avenue had a much better understanding of the carnage inflicted by the Putin’s military after coming face to face with the imagery.

The Palestinians have a similar story to tell; one that is just as tragic. They need to start telling it in a more engaging way.

Several months ago, I sent a text to one of the leaders in Chicago’s Ukrainian Community, telling him that when there is a demonstration on Michigan Avenue, the speakers need to speak in English rather than Ukrainian because I don’t speak Ukrainian, so I have no idea what is being said. More importantly from the Ukrainian standpoint, most tourists and shoppers don’t speak Ukrainian, either. Anyone who organizers a demonstration must recognize that they are staging a marketing campaign. To be successful, it should be directed to the public rather than the demonstrators.

The Organizers. In closing, I’d like to recognize the organizers’ ongoing efforts. From what I can gather, most, if not all, are unpaid volunteers. I see the same 10 to 20 people setting up the sound system, driving the maroon Dodge RAM, leading the chants, making the speeches, handing out the signs, maintaining a semblance of order, and working with CPD. I assume some like college football or soccer. Others have kids who are invited to weekend birthday parties. All must long for a relaxing weekend after a busy workweek. Yet, they keep coming out. They are impressive and admirable bunch, whether you agree with them or not.

[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]