Chicago Clears Jail Space, Boards Up Businesses Bracing For Possible Protests During DNC

The city of Chicago is preparing for mass arrests and protests ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) starting on Monday, clearing jail spaces and boarding up establishments, according to multiple reports.

Cook County Circuit Court Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans announced in July that they would prepare court facilities for mass arrests from protests surrounding the DNC, according to a press release. In case the protests become violent, several local businesses are using plywood to block doors and windows to prevent potential destruction, WGN Chicago reported.

“We know from past experiences something could ensue so we want to be proactive and get ahead of it,” Scott Shapiro, the owner of a Chicago menswear store, told WGN Chicago.

Judge Evans stated in the July press release that the court system will stay open from 8 a.m. to midnight to deal with the cases.

“We have been meeting for weeks with more than 50 people from county, city, state, and federal agencies to prepare for the possibility of multiple arrests,” Evans said in the press release. “We want to make sure the police are able to focus on providing security and that the rights of arrested individuals are scrupulously respected. We thank our fellow government officials and our court staff for their continued cooperation in this important endeavor.”

The Cook County Circuit Court announced that judges also cleared their schedules from any “non-essential court proceedings” in preparation for the protesters, the press release states. The court has a separate plan in case of potential overflow, stating that those arrests would then be processed by the Chicago Police Department.

The “Coalition to March on the DNC” is an organization made up of roughly 200 anti-Israel groups planning to start protesting on Monday, The Washington Post reported. The group received a permit to protest, and city officials reversed a previous decision to bar sound systems and portable toilets.

A pro-Israel group is also planning to protest amid the pro-Palestinian groups, according to The Washington Post. The city of Chicago initially denied the pro-Israel group a permit, claiming it would be an “interference,” but later reversed the decision and allowed for a short period at the speaker’s platform.

“We hope the police will be safe,” Evans said in a PBS interview on Tuesday. “We hope that all will be well, but in case mass arrests occur, what we’ve done is we’ve entered an order that establishes a facility … that will be set aside specifically to deal with those kinds of cases.”

“What we don’t want to do is burn judges out,” Evans said in the interview.

The Democratic National Convention is set to take place August 19-22.

The Circuit Court of Cook County did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.