Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen applauded Skokie police for “maintaining the peace” at two Skokie-area protests concerning the Israel-Hamas war that produced arrests, and Lincolnwood Mayor Jesal Patel stressed that it’s crucial to continue “dialogue and peaceful coexistence” locally.
Both Skokie and Lincolnwood police made arrests Oct. 22 when an indoor Solidarity with Israel rally and pro-Palestinian protest outside of it in Skokie spilled across the street to Lincolnwood. Skokie police also arrested seven people when pro-Palestinian demonstrators occupied the office of U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky Oct. 19.
Lincolnwood police said they arrested one man for firing a gunshot in the vicinity of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, though the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office declined to bring charges.
Skokie police said they arrested a man who is being charged with two counts of aggravated battery and two counts of hate crimes for pepper-spraying pro-Palestinian demonstrators on Oct. 22.
Pioneer Press spoke to local leaders to get their reactions and and learn what they plan in the future to promote safety.
Van Dusen, of Skokie, said he emphasized protestors’ rights to protest peacefully, but it’s “unfortunate that some people let their passions get the better of them,” he said. “It’s also a little scary because it puts our police in jeopardy,” he added.
“I’m hopeful that in the future nobody will ever get hurt, and will be able to exercise their rights,” said Van Dusen.
Patel, of Lincolnwood, issued an Oct. 17 statement saying, “We understand that conflicts in the Middle East can evoke strong emotions and opinions, and it is natural for individuals to express their concerns. However, it is crucial for us to remember that our local community is a place where dialogue and peaceful coexistence are paramount.
“Our focus lies in ensuring the safety and well-being of every member of our community, regardless of their faith or background. We stand united against any form of violence or discrimination.”
On Oct. 19, Skokie police gave citations to seven protestors for trespassing at U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky’s district office in Skokie when they refused to leave after closing hours. “I think that the protestors should have left,” said Van Dusen. “They should not have stayed around like they did, and I hope in the future nothing like that ever happens again.”
To respond to the Oct 22. protest, when pro-Palestinian demonstrators waved flags and chanted outside a Solidarity with Israel event being held inside a banquet hall in the 3400 block of Touhy Avenue, Skokie Police Chief Brian Baker called for mutual aid from neighboring police departments through the Northern Illinois Police Alarm System (NIPAS) and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System. Suburban police departments that need reinforcements can call upon other departments through these mutual aid networks.
Police from Lincolnwood, Evanston, and Chicago sent squad cars and police officers to Skokie.
“We do our very best to keep (opposing protestors) apart and to prevent (violence) from happening,” said Baker. “But I wasn’t surprised,” said Baker when asked about the arrests made in Skokie.
Baker said Skokie police requested that NIPAS bring a specialty team called a mobile field force that “specializes in civil disobedience, or crowd control.”
A week after the sit-in, Schakowsky’s office put out a statement saying the congresswoman called for a humanitarian pause to allow for aid to be brought into Gaza, and for Hamas to release hostages kidnapped in Israel.
When asked if the sit-in influenced the representative, Schakowsky’s Communications Director Alex Moore replied, “She’s had many meetings with constituents, lots of phone calls, and the situation is changing every day, (and) that’s now her position.”
In Lincolnwood. Police Chief Jason Parrott said he was unaware of plans for any future protests, and if there were any planned, he hoped they would be “lawful and peaceful.”
At both protests in Skokie, Pioneer Press asked protestors where they had come from, and a small number of protestors replied they were from Skokie while most said they came via carpools from surrounding towns and Chicago.
Baker said, “It’s often the individuals that come from out of state that kind of stir these up and help them get out of control.” He added that on Oct. 22, the arrest Skokie made was of a man who lives in Skokie.
Van Dusen said it didn’t matter where people came from to protest in Skokie. “We don’t ask people to (show) their driver’s licenses or something in the middle of a protest. You have a constitutional right,” he said.
