Protest route for the DNC unclear as judge once again delays key decision

CHICAGO (CBS)— The Democrats are bringing their big show to Chicago in two weeks, and it's unclear what protests might look like for the DNC as a judge yet again delays a key decision in an ongoing lawsuit.

The Coalition to March on the DNC sued the city for violating its First Amendment right to protest. The city has agreed that protesters should be "within sight and sound" of the United Center, but there's still no agreed-upon route.

"If we make two quick turns here with tens of thousands of people, that's a guaranteed log jam," said Hatem Abudayyeh, Chair of the U.S.-Palestinian Community Network

Protesters said the city's proposed route from Union Park to near Park 578 is too winding and too short.

"Remember, 1.1 miles. We know that a protest of 10,000 people takes up longer than one mile. If we're going to have tens of thousands, which we expect, because we have people bringing in buses, chartered buses from Michigan, from Wisconsin, from Minnesota, from Ohioall across the Midwest," Abudayyeh said.

In court Monday, city attorneys argued that the U.S. Secret Service still has not revealed where it would put its fencing surrounding the red hard security perimeter.

CBS Chicago cameras captured what the fencing will likely look like, the same as that at the Republican National Convention. Protest groups proposed a route as close as possible.

"It seems like a no-brainer. It seems as if we should be able to negotiate with the city with this and the city, and they should accept it," Abudayyeh said.

On Tuesday, Chicago's Department of Transportation will start to accept applications for speaker time slots, which is frustrating for protesters whose applications have gone unanswered for months.

"They came up today and said, 'Yeah, we have a process. It starts tomorrow. Everyone gets in line. It's first come, first serve," said Chris Williams, attorney for the Coalition to March on the DNC.

A judge ruled the city could collect those new applications – but will likely monitor how they're approved going forward.

"Even if it means we're going to fight for this until the final day. We know for a fact that people are coming, and people are mobilizing," Abudayyeh said.

Another status hearing to iron out any remaining details is scheduled for August 13, just a few days before the DNC, though the protest groups expect a judge to issue a written ruling on the route this week.