On a sweltering Sunday evening, over 100 demonstrators gathered in Chicago’s Federal Plaza to voice their opposition to the United States’ escalating involvement in the conflict between Iran and Israel.
The event, organized by the Chicago branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, took place at 6 p.m. and featured a brief march through the Loop.
In a show of solidarity, activists from various organizations took to the microphone to criticize President Donald Trump’s administration for its military actions in the region, which they argue contradict the peace-oriented foreign policy he once promoted.
Nino Brown, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, emphasized the unity of the protestors in the pursuit of peace and justice during his speech.
“We’re here today, united,” Brown declared. “We’re united in our commitment to peace, we’re united in our commitment to justice, and we’re united in our commitment to a better world without war and imperialism.”
This protest came mere hours after U.S. military strikes on three critical nuclear facilities in Iran.
These military actions followed Israel’s June 13 bombardment of Iran’s uranium enrichment sites, actions that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as targeting essential components of Iran’s nuclear program.
President Donald Trump had indicated that his administration might engage in warfare soon, stating that a decision would come “within the next two weeks.”
The ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel has escalated dramatically, with both nations launching bombing campaigns against one another.
Recent reports indicate over 400 fatalities in Iran and 24 in Israel due to this violence, underscoring the urgent humanitarian implications of the conflict.
During the rally, speakers condemned the Israeli government’s actions, suggesting they were driven by false narratives regarding Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Serene Amad, representing the Palestinian Youth Movement, drew parallels between the current situation and the misleading justifications for the Iraq War under former President George W. Bush.
“We’ve seen this before,” Amad stated. “George W. Bush lied about Saddam Hussein harboring [Weapons of Mass Destruction] in Iraq, and we saw the destruction that caused. Now, Israel is doing the same thing to Iran, and the United States is falling in line.”
Chants resonated through the crowd, such as “From the belly of the beast, U.S. out [in] the Middle East,” as participants waved Palestinian and Iranian flags amidst the oppressive heat.
To combat the soaring temperatures, which peaked at 96 degrees and felt even hotter due to humidity, organizers provided bottled water to attendees.
One protestor, Mehran, who identifies as Iranian-American, shared his internal struggle regarding his dual identity as both a citizen of the U.S. and a member of a nation facing military aggression.
“Sometimes I wonder if I’m the one being bombed or the one bombing,” he expressed. “I’ve been in the U.S. for 15 years now … and I really want to be proud of being an American, but right now, and for a long time, what I’m seeing is that what [the U.S.] does is against the interests of the majority of the people in the world and the majority of the people within the United States.”
As the protestors marched, they initially headed north on Dearborn Street before shifting southwest towards the Israeli consulate on Madison Street.
Upon reaching a police blockade on Madison Street, the participants retreated back to Federal Plaza where the demonstration began to dissolve shortly before 8 p.m.
image source from：blockclubchicago
