Chicago Police Boss: No Repeat of 1968 Violence as Protesters Descend on DNC

‘It’s not 1968. Our officers are trained differently,’ the head of Chicago’s police department said.

Police block access to the Main Quadrangle on the University of Chicago campus as demonstrators try to enter while police break up a pro-Palestinian encampment in Chicago, Ill., on May 7, 2024. Scott Olson/Getty Images

The head of the Chicago Police Department said that his law enforcement agency is ready for potentially thousands of protesters descending on the Democratic National Convention (DNC), slated to be held this week in Chicago.

“It’s not 1968. Our officers are trained differently,” Police Supt. Larry Snelling told Chicago-area station WMAQ-TV in reference to the infamous 1968 demonstrations and riots at the DNC against the Vietnam War.