Protesters breach security fence outside US Democrat convention venue (VIDEOS)

Pro-Palestine protesters have torn down a section of the metal security fence outside the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, where US President Joe Biden was scheduled to speak on Monday night. 

High-ranking Democrats have gathered in Illinois for the four-day event, which will culminate in the official nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris as the party’s candidate in the 2024 presidential election. 

Protesters marched on the Union Center in Chicago, demanding that Biden cut military aid to Israel and pressure the Israeli government to end the war against Hamas in Gaza. They breached the fence on the north side of the Union Center and yelled at police officers who blocked their path.

A video from the scene shows activists pushing down a section of the fence and confronting officers who were trying to stop them. Several people have been detained. 

Pro-Palestinian activists have been staging protests across the US since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023. They repeatedly heckled American politicians and attempted to disrupt public events.

Biden ended his presidential campaign last month, following pressure from fellow Democrats and party donors who were concerned that his declining health would hurt his chances of beating Republican candidate Donald Trump in November. Biden has since endorsed Harris as his successor.