Democrats are probably in for a rough ride this week. The Democratic National Convention gets underway today in Chicago and already there have been some efforts to disrupt it by pro-Palestinian protesters. This person jumped on stage during a welcoming party and started shouting about genocide.

NOW: disruption inside the DNC delegate welcome party on the stage at Navy Pier!! https://t.co/JjihLfuUzb pic.twitter.com/73T7SK92oY

— Angela Van Der Pluym (@anjewla90) August 19, 2024

But there's a much larger march also happening today. Protesters have already gathered.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are gathered at Chicago’s Union Park.

This is expected to be the largest DNC protest. The crowd wants an end to U.S. military aid to Israel & a ceasefire in Gaza. Organizers have promised to avoid violence. March is permitted, start soon. pic.twitter.com/niqEsM7gYl

— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) August 19, 2024

These aren't just people from Chicago obviously. People are traveling from all over to participate. There is no love in this group for Joe Biden and not much for Kamala Harris.

There are a ton of signs here accusing President Joe Biden of genocide. And no love lost for Kamala Harris — who in this banner is depicted with fangs. https://t.co/WFITPXZZA9 pic.twitter.com/gJF8iuPDHz

— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) August 19, 2024

So far it's just chanting and speeches.

Speeches have started. Step-off time is about an hour & a half away.

There are a few thousand people here so far, but with lots of time before the start of the march, not nearly as many as the high-end estimate organizers shared. Chicago has seen crowds this big before for Gaza. https://t.co/WFITPY0xpH pic.twitter.com/x4M0ESmrPt

— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) August 19, 2024

We all know how these "mostly peaceful" marches work. People who gather in the day generally behave themselves. But later there is often a different contingent of people ready to employ a diversity of tactics. 

A leader of one group, Behind Enemy Lines, said its members disagreed with the goal of merely being “within sight and sound” of the arena in Chicago, arguing that protesters need to be “actively confronting the convention.”

“We think that their whole convention is illegitimate and criminal, and people should treat it that way,” said Michael Boyte, a co-founder of the group, which is critical of the U.S. government and describes itself as anti-imperialist.

This group has already gained attention for calling for students to do battle with the police.

The group, which calls itself Behind Enemy Lines, wrote recently, “Make bruises from Chicago police batons the 2024 back to school Fall fashion.”

Behind Enemy Lines says pro-Palestinian activists have faced repression. “But have you thrown down with the Chicago police yet?” the group wrote in a post on its website...

“We’re not calling for violence or planning on anything illegal, but we think that there’s ways for people to protest that do go beyond business as usual,” said the spokesperson, who asked not to be named for fear of being targeted by law enforcement and the potential professional stigma of being associated with the protests.

Of course the key to parsing this statement is how you define violence. Like many on the far left, this group probably doesn't count property destruction as violence. It may not even count actual violence as violence so long as it's aimed at the right people.

In any case, Mayor Brandon Johnson says the city is ready for whatever comes.

Chicago police officers have been preparing for the convention for months, even inviting reporters recently to watch them train in riot gear, and the city has outlined a “coordinated multiple arrest policy” on its convention website. Officials listed “throwing things, breaking windows and destroying property” as actions that could lead to arrest, and noted that “obstructing traffic is not protected First Amendment activity.”

“I’ve led mass demonstrations in my life, and I can tell you the last thing that you want are detractors and deflectors within that space to try to come and hijack your message,” said Mr. Johnson. “So our responsibility is to make sure that people who mean our city and our country harm, that we weed out those.”

The "detractors" are going to be out all week and will be disappointed in themselves if they don't make news for disrupting something. We may only have to wait a few more hours to see what they have planned once the sun goes down.