CHICAGO — The Democratic National Convention kicked off Monday afternoon to rows and rows of empty seats — at least in part caused by pro-Palestine protests that stranded some delegates attempting to travel from downtown Chicago to the United Center, several miles away.
Pro-Palestine protesters, some of whom attempted to break through security barriers ringing the United Center, clashed with law enforcement officers in the hour before the convention was scheduled to begin.
At least 20 buses filled with members of Democratic National Convention state delegations stopped about a half mile short of the United Center and idled.
"Officer Boyer" with the Kankakee Police Department told a Raw Story reporter, who was traveling with the delegates, that the delegate buses were delayed due to a “barricade."
“They said buses can’t come back yet until they get that under control,” said Boyer, who was providing security on a bus for delegates and declined to give his first name.
Boyer told about 10 delegates on one bus, some from Minnesota and Michigan, that they were “free to go” if they wanted to start walking instead of waiting — but that they couldn’t get back on the bus once they got off.
Three Texas delegates wearing “Ceasefire Delegate” buttons said they got caught up in the "tail end" of the traffic jam. The delegates, who declined to be named, said they weren’t aware of the protestors rushing security barricades.
“We’ve just been shuttling around, enjoying the energy, here, but now I am hungry I will say,” one female delegate said.
Some delegates began to bail out and formed a long line walking toward the United Center — although at least one person in a wheelchair, along with others, stayed put.
Mariyana Spyropoulos, an Illinois delegate and commissioner for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, decided to walk down Jackson Boulevard toward the United Center instead of waiting on a bus.
She didn't want to miss any more speakers — Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and President Joe Biden are scheduled to talk tonight — than necessary.
“Who knows how long this will take?” she said. “I know there’s some protesting going on but they didn’t say anything specifically about it, at least to us. I thought gavel time was 5:15 or so, so we’re cutting it close.”
She said she wasn’t concerned about getting into the United Center — eventually.
“Security’s important, and they’re doing their thing. I appreciate that," she said. "We want to make sure everyone is safe and that people are entitled to protest because they have that right as well.”
The Democratic National Convention was scheduled to kick off at 6:15 p.m. ET.
But a delay ensued. Democratic National Committee Chairman Jaime Harrison and Democratic National Convention Chairwoman Minyon Moore did not take the stage until 6:33 p.m. ET, and after brief remarks, did not officially gavel the convention in until 6:38 p.m. ET.
Hundreds of delegate seats, including many reserved for the delegations of Alabama, Washington and Hawaii, remained empty well into the 7 p.m. ET hour.
