‘Supportive of Hamas Actions’: Chicago Democrat Blasts Mayor For ‘Openly Encouraging’ Select Protesters to ‘Descend’ On City For DNC

Businesses and storefronts are boarding up in Chicago this weekend over fears of protests and riots related to the Democratic National Convention that will be downtown in the city this week, and some, including a Democratic city leader, are blaming Mayor Brandon Johnson for the dangers, at least in part.

Democratic Chicago alderman Raymond Lopez appeared on FNC’s America Reports Sunday, where he only pointed the finger at the mayor over his actions in personally intervening to help ensure certain protesters had plenty of access to the city and areas near the United Center.

“We have a mayor who’s openly encouraging those protesters to descend upon the city of Chicago,” said Lopez when co-anchor John Roberts asked about the growing concerns for the city. And Lopez also suggested the mayor favors pro-Hamas groups over pro-Israel ones.

“He’s not just allowing all protesters, but select protesters,” said Lopez. “He’s not allowing the pro-Israel demonstrators near the United Center, but he’s allowing those who are supportive of the Hamas actions to be close and vocal.”

When co-anchor Sandra Smith asked about new reporting from Axios that Democrats are being advised not to book their hotels in their own names over security fears due to the protests, Lopez agreed it’s a genuine concern. And not just for the attendees but the businesses located downtown, which are hunkering down like a hurricane is incoming.

On Friday, drug stores, fast food restaurants, and buildings, including the Garland Building in Millennium Park downtown, were boarded up with plywood ahead of the 2024 Democratic National Convention over fears of left-wing and anti-Israel protests and potential riots. (Photo by Kyle Mazza/NurPhoto via AP)

“We also see in our central business district and in other neighborhoods where they’re already boarding up businesses, boarding up storefronts to protect themselves from any kind of future 2020-like damage and rioting and looting should things get out of hand,” he said, referring to the George Floyd riots that rocked the city 4 years ago.

He added that the visibly heave preparations are “sending a very different message to many of our visitors coming to this convention.”

“On the one hand, you have the mayor saying, we can handle this,” said Lopez. “On the other, businesses are boarding up because they know we can’t.”

ROBERTS : Let’s bring in Democratic Chicago alderman Raymond Lopez. Raymond, good to have you with us. You know, I keep seeing pictures of the United Center there in Chicago. And it takes me back to 1996 when Bill Clinton had his convention there. And I remember they were expecting big protests because it was the first Chicago convention since 68. They greased up the statue of Ulysses Grant so nobody could climb on it. Big protests didn’t really materialize in 1996. Do you expect them to this year?

LOPEZ : Well, I think definitely, John, we are expecting protests to come because we have a mayor who’s openly encouraging those protesters to descend upon the city of Chicago. And while we may not have the same statues to grease up because Columbus and others have been removed by our previous mayor, we do know that there are many individuals who are working hand-in-glove with the mayor of the City of Chicago to bring protest directly to the United Center.

And he’s not just allowing all protesters, but select protesters. Like, for example, he’s not allowing the pro-Israel demonstrators near the United Center, but he’s allowing those who are supportive of the Hamas actions to be close and vocal.

So I think that we’re going to see some action in the city of Chicago. We’re going to see police and law enforcement doing their best to remain calm and maintain order. But we also know that there will be individuals trying to egg them on with the goal of going home with some bruises and cuts from this convention.

SMITH : Yeah. To that point, Axios ran a headline, basically, warning House members about checking into their hotels under their names, fearing DNC violence, saying this, “House Dems attending the DNC next week are being advised by congressional security officials not to book hotel rooms under their own names or engage with protesters if confronted.” Are you hearing any of that? Is that a legitimate concern?

LOPEZ : I think that is a legitimate concern for some members of Democratic leadership who don’t want to be called out by being in the same hotel as some of the protesters. But we also see in our central business district and in other neighborhoods where they’re already boarding up businesses, boarding up storefronts to protect themselves from any kind of future 2020-like damage and rioting and looting should things get out of hand. And that is sending a very different message to many of our visitors coming to this convention.

On the one hand, you have the mayor saying, we can handle this. On the other, businesses are boarding up because they know we can’t. So we’re going to see how this pans out. But I hope that our neighborhoods and our police and everyone here are safe, and that we put these individuals coming to wreak havoc in their place quickly.

Watch the clip above via Fox News .