CHICAGO (WLS) — Delegates of the Uncommitted movement ended their sit-in on Thursday after about 24 hours. They demanded that a pro-Palestinian speaker be present at the Democratic Party Convention.
A group of about 40 unconfirmed delegates and supporters spent the night on the sidewalk outside the United Center and remained there for hours on the final day of the DNC, Thursday.
They said they were waiting for a call, hopefully from the party leadership, saying they had changed their minds and would allow a pro-Palestinian speaker to address the DNC. But that call never came.
Protesters returned to the DNC after 8 p.m. on Thursday.
“This was unacceptable to us. Because as Democrats, we are the party of representation, we are the party of inclusion,” said Michigan delegate Abbas Alawieh. “This level of silence and exclusion deeply offends us, and that is why we are staying here.”
On the third night of the Democratic National Convention, the parents of American hostage Hersh Goldberg, who was taken hostage in the October 7 attack in Israel, spoke on stage and called for the release of those held in Gaza.
“We heard Hersh’s story,” Alawieh said. “We were moved by it. We were deeply touched by the humanity in that story. And we are Democrats whose platform says that our values are life, and the life of every Palestinian, equally. And that’s why we think we should also present a Palestinian-American speaker on that stage.”
“Ceasefire now” and “no more bomb” were just some of the messages supporters of the undecided delegates wrote in chalk as they spent the night and much of Thursday waiting for a change of heart.
“The least they could do is allow a Palestinian American or someone directly affected by this war to speak on the main stage at the DNC. That would be the least they could do to share that perspective,” said Rhode Island delegate June Rose.
The DNC has given the movement the opportunity to speak at several non-televised forums throughout the week.
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“We have a number of names submitted: potential speakers who are elected officials, democratically elected officials who have already written their speech and are ready to go,” Alawieh said.
The group claims it has the support of the majority of the party in calling for a ceasefire and an arms embargo on the Gaza war and hopes that the convention will end with an even more united Democratic Party.
“I hope Kamala Harris supports this because it is the right thing to do. Because we need to save lives. But if she doesn’t do it for moral reasons, then she should do it for electoral reasons,” Rose said.
That message was also spread to McCormick Place on Thursday, where dozens of people spoke at a press conference attended not only by delegates but also by elected officials and religious leaders from across the country.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also commented on the matter at a brunch with the delegation from Puerto Rico.
“You have to have a voice calling for peace and the release of the hostages; we can do both,” Johnson said.
Vice President Harris’ communications director avoided the question on Thursday morning.
“I think as far as the unaffiliated delegates at this convention are concerned, we are proud and happy that they are here. We have worked throughout the convention to engage them,” said Michael Tyler.
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