CHICAGO (AP) 鈥� As the American city that has hosted more political conventions than any other, Chicago has pretty much seen it all.
Presidential candidates have been made official in Chicago more than two dozen times since Abraham Lincoln in 1860, including the infamous where police clashed with protesters, and Bill Clinton鈥檚 1996
Now the nation鈥檚 third-largest city is back on the global political stage as it hosts the Democratic National Convention starting Monday, with city leaders, residents and activists each hoping to claim time in the spotlight and shape the city鈥檚 reputation.
Tourism officials are eager to highlight the best sites and eats, while allaying security concerns about crowds and street violence. Anti-war protesters, drawing from the area鈥檚 large Palestinian population, are ready to march. And elected leaders say it鈥檚 an historic opportunity to be the city where a woman of color, , will be designated to lead a presidential ticket for the first time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a remarkable testament to who we are as a people, and hosting the world yet again where major history will take place by launching the first Black woman of Asian descent to the most powerful post in the world,鈥� Mayor Brandon Johnson told The Associated Press. 鈥淐hicago gets to do that.鈥�
But not everyone sees it that way.
Even though there have been convention highs, such as the 1996 convention going off largely without a hitch, comparisons to the 1968 convention are inescapable, especially as of U.S. support for grows.
Lee Weiner, 85, is the last living member of the activists who were tried for organizing an anti-Vietnam War protest outside the 1968 convention, where bloody clashes with police were captured on live television.
Weiner said the protests changed the course of his life.
The sociologist wrote a memoir about his experiences growing up in Chicago and sitting for the high-profile trial. Weiner said he thinks people are now more divided than ever and that police tactics haven鈥檛 really changed.
鈥淓choes of that time are very much a part of our day to day now,鈥� Weiner said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going to be out in the streets, you should watch your ass.鈥�
Chicago has been for more than a year, with extensive police training and security drills ahead of the event that鈥檚 expected to draw 50,000 people, including thousands of anti-war activists.
Johnson says his leadership 鈥� as a Black man and former union organizer 鈥� shows how things are different, and that Chicago will accommodate First Amendment rights.
But anxiety that things might take a turn remain.
Some downtown businesses boarded up their windows this week while Cook County courts added more space and hours in anticipation of mass arrests during the convention.
Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said Chicago has held many large-scale events without problems, including the NATO convention in 2012. He for constitutional policing and de-escalation tactics as critical to the city's security plan.
The department faced for being unprepared in the aftermath of killing in Minneapolis in 2020, when broke out nationwide.
But Snelling said that was a different situation 鈥� Chicago's police are prepared for planned protests during the DNC 鈥� and that the department has learned many lessons.
鈥淲e鈥檝e evolved as a department. We鈥檝e evolved in training,鈥� Snelling told the AP this week. 鈥淵ou look at 1968; I think anyone who鈥檚 still around from that time will tell you that officers didn鈥檛 have the training or the preparedness to deal with that type of situation.鈥�
Protests are expected every day of the convention, with the overarching message being a call for an immediate end to the war in Gaza. Activists say Chicago is the ideal location because demonstrations will draw from the city's southwest suburbs, where the largest concentrations of Palestinians nationwide reside.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not hyperbole to say the genocide is affecting the people of Chicago on a very personal level,鈥� said Muhammad Sankari, an organizer. 鈥淏ecause of that, it鈥檚 a moral imperative for us to be organizing and bringing our demands to the doorstep of the Democratic Party.鈥�
Some Chicago residents are also hoping to seize the chance.
Bradly Johnson leads an anti-violence organization, BUILD Chicago, on the West Side, not far from the United Center where the convention will take place. For months during after-school and weekend programming, his group has cited the upcoming convention in teaching young people about the democratic process.
He鈥檚 hoping the thousands of party leaders coming to Chicago will also learn from young people.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an opportunity for Chicago to demonstrate that that鈥檚 not the totality of who we are,鈥� he said.
Former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois said excitement around the convention 鈥� the city鈥檚 26th for a major party鈥� was clear.
Her phone has been buzzing with friends and acquaintances looking for tickets since Harris became the presumptive nominee. Adding to the hype, had been under consideration as Harris' running mate.
Moseley Braun, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Senate, said it was fitting that Harris would accept the nomination in Chicago, where former President Barack Obama started his political career.
鈥淲e have a tradition in this city of men and women moving forward for new horizons,鈥� she said.
Tourism officials were also excited about boosting revenue.
Conventions of a similar size in other cities have generated as much as $200 million for hotels, restaurants and retailers, according to Choose Chicago, the city鈥檚 tourism marketing organization.
鈥淲e鈥檙e like a 鈥楾ype A鈥� personality,鈥� said Rich Gamble, the interim president of Choose Chicago. 鈥淲e have expectations of ourselves. If you鈥檙e here, we want the best version to be seen and the best behaviors.鈥�
Sophia Tareen, The Associated Press
