Two people who allegedly chained themselves to a fence during Sunday’s NASCAR event in Grant Park were taken into custody, according to the protesters and Chicago police.
About 3:30 p.m., two people ran onto the course and chained themselves to the top of the fence holding signs that said “Pritzker: We Charge Genocide,” and “Bombs for Gaza, Prisons for Illinois,” in reference to Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza in the Israel-Hamas war and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s $900 million plan to tear down and rebuild two state prisons.
They were arrested 40 minutes later on suspicion of criminal trespass, according to Chicago police. Social media posts from the group claiming responsibility for the demonstration have said the protesters were released early Monday morning.
In a release sent to media outlets Sunday, the group demanded that President Joe Biden call for a permanent cease-fire and to end all aid to Israel. They also focused on Mayor Brandon Johnson for his work to “quell dissent” ahead of the Democratic National Convention.
Sunday marked nine months since Hamas attacked Israel, leading to its war in Gaza
“Pritzker’s policies in Illinois mirror the same policies of mass death and imprisonment of presidents Biden and Trump,” the statement read. “Chicagoans will not allow our city to operate as normal while you invest in our people’s mass incarceration and genocide. Pritzker and Johnson are not fit to host any major events in Chicago, including the Democratic National Convention, because the people will not allow them to.”