Crime & Safety
New DNC Security Measures In Downtown Chicago Have Some Feeling "Like A Police State"
It's the new normal on a few streets near the Magnificent Mile, at least for this week as the DNC rolls into town.
August 19, 2024
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With street closures and restrictions already in place at both the United Center and McCormick Place ahead of the Democratic National Convention, new security measures that went into effect this weekend have left parts of the downtown area in a state of lockdown.
Find out what's happening in Chicagofor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Residents and businesses were still trying to navigate the new restrictions on Sunday, after large security fences went up along sidewalks in parts of the Loop, Gold Coast, and Magnificent Mile – with a handful of downtown streets also closed off.
Unlike those closures announced in advance around the United Center and McCormick Place, the new restrictions downtown were not formally announced until Saturday morning, after they were already in place, blindsiding many who live and work in the area.
