Protesters are inside this year’s DNC, with Minnesotans playing big roles

CHICAGO – Thousands of demonstrators in the streets this week were nearly invisible inside the United Center during the Democratic National Convention because of the blocks-wide security buffer around convention sites.

But unlike other recent conventions, protesters were visible on the convention floor, showing their outrage at President Joe Biden’s policy toward Israel’s war in Gaza, making their voices heard by party elites and thousands of the most committed Democrats.

“Our whole presence is a protest,” said Sam Doten, a Minneapolis activist who is one of the leaders of Minnesota’s uncommitted delegation. He said he felt a heavy responsibility to represent all the voters who voiced opposition to the war through their primary votes and was disappointed at how the national convention has so far been more ceremonial than substantive, unlike local and state party conventions.

The 11 uncommitted Minnesotan delegates are the largest of any state’s protest delegation, elected to represent the nearly 46,000 voters who cast ballots for “uncommitted” instead of Biden in Minnesota’s presidential primary in March. Their numbers, and prominent place in the middle of the convention floor, have set them up to make silent statements during the convention.

During Biden’s speech late Monday, Minnesota’s uncommitted delegates placed their hands over their mouths. Delegates had written the words “arms embargo now” on the backs of their hands. They remained standing as others sat while Biden’s speech ran late. As other delegates noticed the protest, they stood up and held up signs to block the protest from television cameras’ view.

The uncommitted delegates plan to hold pieces of paper with the names of Gazans killed during the war during the roll call on Tuesday evening. Most plan to vote “present,” instead of voting for Kamala Harris for president, saying those votes will represent names of people killed in Gaza — either people delegates knew, or children the same age as their own.

In the McCormick Place Convention Center, where daytime meetings are held, dozens of uncommitted delegates from several states wore keffiyehs, the checked scarves signaling solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Others wore t-shirts printed with red flowers calling for the United States to stop selling weapons to Israel.

A few cease-fire supporters interrupted Gov. Tim Walz as he spoke to a women’s caucus on Tuesday, but were drowned out by others chanting “vote” and “U.S.A.”

Doten said he does not see the protests as divisive so much as he thinks the war is dividing Democrats and progressives and could mean fewer turn out to vote in November.

“I fear that this kind of moral rupture could divide us so much that Trump is elected this fall,” he said.

The uncommitted delegates feel some progress. They celebrated the mention of Gaza in speeches by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, who also noted suffering in Israel and called for a cease-fire on Monday.

The uncommitted group is still pushing for Palestinian speakers to be given speaking slots during the convention’s evening programming, and they are trying to keep the pressure on the convention organizers and party leaders.

Delegates are circulating a letter calling on Harris to “turn the page” from Biden’s policy toward Israel and are calling for the vice president to support a permanent cease-fire and to stop selling arms to Israel. Some report that Harris delegates are signing the letter, not just uncommitted delegates.

The group notched a small win on Monday with an officially sanctioned panel discussion on Palestinian human rights, moderated by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.

Ellison, who has visited Israel and Gaza, was asked by party leaders to moderate the panel, he said. Ellison said he supported a cease-fire and wanted the issue talked about at the convention.

“It’s in the news nearly every day,” he said. “And it’s important for Democrats to be in the conversation about which is the right way forward.”