Still Another One
Around 1:30 PM, I walked the four blocks from the Gold Coast Tesla dealership to Jane Byrne Plaza, which is the site of Chicago’s historic Water Tower, to cover a rally sponsored by Chicago’s heritage Palestinians. Even prior to October 7, 2024, the Palestinian Community was holding rallies on behalf of the Palestinian People living in Gaza and the West Bank. Following the watershed attack by Hamas against Israelis, the Palestinian Community leaders held weekly rallies on Saturdays, usually at the North Congress Parkway Plaza, which is a block south of the Art Institute, followed by a march.
I stopped attending the rallies late last fall because the events had become not only formulaic, no longer drawing large crowds. Nevertheless, I am impressed by and admire the Palestinian leadership’s dedication. A core group of 15 to 20 people showed up for the Saturday rallies. Several guys assembled and worked the sound system mounted on the back of a maroon Dodge RAM; others made sure topical signs were prepared and then distributed to rally goers, thereby giving the rally a uniform look; a core group of three or four people led the chants from the back of the truck; one or two men met with CPD to discuss logistics; two or three people took turns driving the Dodge RAM leading the marchers; the same man proudly walked ahead of the marchers as the standard bearer; and presumably several of these people were instrumental in lining up the week’s speakers.
All of them are devoted to the Palestinian cause, but each has a family, other commitments, hobbies, and of course a job or a business. From what I could ascertain, all were volunteers. When I asked one of the leaders whether he was paid, he laughed, and then said that he was a volunteer with a full-time job, as surprising as that seemed to me.
Today’s rally and march commemorated what is referred to as Land Day (يَوْم اَلْأَرْض,). On March 30, 1976, the Israeli government announced that it was confiscating 7.7 square miles of land between two Arab villages (Sakhnin and Arraba) near Galilee. Just over two square miles of that land were Arab owned. Demonstrations ensued, with the Israeli security forces killing six unarmed Arab demonstrators and arresting hundreds of others.
Given the occasion, attendance should have been higher, but today’s demonstration coincided with the last day of Ramadan, the month-long religious observance that is marked by fasting (swam), communal prayer (salah), reflection, and community. Demonstrating while fasting is difficult, to say the least. Tomorrow, Muslims will be celebrating Eid al-Fitr (عيد الفطر) with celebratory feasts. Undoubtedly, some people stayed home, preparing for tomorrow’s festivities. And I also suspect that threat of deportation kept come people away.
The Trump Resistance should take a lesson from the the Palestinian rallies and marches. As should be apparent to regular readers, protest activity in Chicago is on an uptick. It is now possible to attend an almost daily demonstration. While I reference the Trump Resistance, it is not monolithic, but rather, is comprised of numerous small groups, each with its own particular agenda.
The salient question is whether countless small demonstrations are more effective than fewer larger ones. Once again, regular readers know where I come out on what is a strategic question: less is more.
Too many of the demonstrations are well-intended but are poorly executed. The programs are ill conceived. The speeches become unfocused rants. There is a noticeable absence of theatrics. While WGN TV shows up for many of these events, I often see no coverage in the Sun-Times or the Chicago Tribune. Even when several television stations are present, the video often never airs
My advice to the many groups making up the Trump Resistance is quite simple: Start working together; limit your efforts to fewer, but better planned events; and pace yourself. Most importantly, target the people who don’t regularly demonstrate. To be effective, the Trump Resistance must put tens of thousands onto the streets.
So some will undoubtedly ask why I still turnout. There are two reasons. First, the Trump story is multifaceted. Until ten days ago, we didn’t know that our national security leaders were engaged in dangerous and cavalier practices. When there was a press conference earlier this week in Daley Plaza calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s resignation, I wanted to document yet another chapter in the Tales of Trump.
Second, every demonstration offers street photography opportunities. Today, for example, I saw a woman confront several Palestinian demonstrators. I doubt she intentionally showed up at the rally. Instead, I suspect she and her mother were walking on Michigan Avenue when they stumbled upon the rally.
As the events unfolded, the more interesting confrontation was between the woman and her mother. The woman wanted to the engage with the Palestinians—her highly animated body language suggested that she believed it was her duty to engage. Her mother wanted no part in this bit of street theater. The ensuing conflict between the mother and daughter offered up a slice of life that was far more interesting than the woman’s interactions with the demonstrators. Looking at the images I captured, it is very evident that the heritage Palestinians know how to defuse potentially combustible interactions.
Notably, despite the physical contact between the mother and daughter, no police officers intervened. They were stationed across the street, so they might not have even been aware of what was happening.
Also on hand were two members of the Neturei Karta (נָטוֹרֵי קַרְתָּא.), a group of anti-Zionist pro-Palestinian Haredi Jews. The Palestinians invited one of the two to speak. He was a Rabbi, who argued that the State of Israel represents a rejection of the law announced in the Torah. Like other members of the Neturei Karta, he believes Jews should wait for the Messiah, who will bring Jewish rule to the Land of Israel.
Let’s face it, Jews condemning the State of Israel runs counter to expectations, which is why documenting the presence of these two demonstrators is important.
[Click on an Image to Enlarge It. The Images Are Not Necessarily in Exact Chronological Order]
The Lead Banner on Display for All to See
The Standard Bearer Standing on Michigan Avenue
Speaking to the People Assembled in Jane Byrne Plaza
Flipping Someone Off
Providing an Update Covering Health Care Workers in Gaza
Two Members of the Anti-Zionist Neturei Karta Attending the Rally
A Disagreement Between an Apparent Daughter and Mother
A Possible Confrontation
Resisting Her Apparent Mother's Pull
More Resistance
A Debate of Sorts
Taking the Mic
The Rabbi Is Speaking Without a Mic Because Today Is the Sabbath
Moving Into the Street
Marching Toward the Front
The Lead Banner Headed South on Michigan Avenue
Walking Behind and Besides the Dodge RAM
The Standard Bearer in the Pole Position
Nick of CNN Fame, Leading the Chants
Past the Men's Warehouse
Representative Sean Casten is Glad this Man is on Michigan Avenue Rather than at a Casten Town Hall
Dubbed a Loser By One Speaker, This CPD Officer Protects the Marchers' Left Flank
'Bicycle Ken' Accompanying the Marchers While Wearing the Day's Message-Appropriate Sign
The Tulips Should be in Bloom for Next Weekend's Marches
Passing Burberry
Here They Come
Returning to Homebase
Some Friendly Conversation Following the March
Copyright 2025, Jack B. Siegel (except the first two images in the post, which are copyrighted 2024). All Rights Reserved. Do Not Alter, Copy, Display, Distribute, Download, Duplicate, or Reproduce Without the Prior Written Consent of the Copyright Holder.
