Why were there so many empty seats at the Democratic National Convention? Here's why:

The Democratic National Convention kicked off Monday night at Chicago's United Center, but not without controversy. Empty seats dotted the arena, sparking a wave of criticism from conservatives on social media.

Photos of the partially empty venue ― designed to hold 23,500 ― spread quickly online.

"Look at all the empty seats at the DNC. The Democrat Party is over! RIP," one user posted on X . Conservative YouTuber Blaire White claimed there were "more people outside protesting the DNC than people inside," adding, "This is not the turnout of a party that can win."

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But what really caused those empty seats? The situation was more about logistics than a lack of enthusiasm.

According to the Wall Street Journal , pro-Palestine protests near the convention site disrupted transportation, delaying buses carrying delegates. At least 20 buses were stuck a half mile from the United Center as protesters clashed with police, causing many attendees to arrive late.

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Among those affected was Gavi Begtrup, a Democratic delegate from Ohio's 1st Congressional District and a former Cincinnati mayoral candidate. Begtrup spent 2½ hours trying to get into the arena.

"We sat and sat and got within two blocks of the convention center. The buses were backed up around the corner, just dozens and dozens of buses and not moving at all," he said.

After sitting on a bus for more than an hour, Begtrup and other delegates decided to walk the rest of the way. When they arrived, they found "an incredible line" to get into the building. "Logistically, it’s been a mess," Begtrup added.

Venita Shoulders, a delegate from Mansfield, Ohio, faced similar delays. She sat on a bus for three hours but remained enthusiastic.

"People basically stayed until the end," said Shoulders, 69. She believes that every aspect of the convention is necessary. "This is a different time and a different direction for us in terms of where we’ve been and where we’re going. Everybody seems to be majorly pumped by it," she added.

The convention, scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. ET was delayed over 20 minutes as organizers scrambled to get everyone inside. As the night went on, the arena filled up with delegates eager to hear from President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Jeremy Yurow is a politics reporting fellow based in Hawaii for the USA TODAY Network. You can reach him at JYurow@gannett.com or on X, formerly Twitter @JeremyYurow

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why were there so many empty seats at the Democratic National Convention? Here's why: