Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker says about 150 members of the state’s National Guard will be in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention this week, but stressed they are present in a standby role.
During a press availability, Pritzker said that members of the Illinois Guard in the city are trained as military police, but that residents should not expect to see them take an active role during the DNC.
“They’re really on standby,” he said. “They’re at the perimeter. No one expects us to have to use them for anything very serious. We also want to make sure we have more law enforcement people who are in uniform and who are trained to be police officers available.”
In July 2024, it was announced that the National Guard would provide advisory assistance at both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention, with approximately 1,700 Guardsmen called in for this purpose.
According to a news release, the National Guard routinely performs security support at large events, including teams to advise local police departments on security during large gatherings.
A Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed that she has received no additional requests for more support during the DNC in Chicago.
The Secret Service, the FBI and dozens of other agencies are providing assistance to Chicago police during the convention.
That layered approach to security is one of the concerns of Pritzker and Chicago officials in the lead-up to the convention, and he said it’s part of the overall plan.
“This is a national security event because we have the president, the vice president and a lot of other dignitaries around, so we’re happy to have their help,” he said of the National Guard.
There are many protests planned around the DNC, with protesters expected to hold marches on Wednesday in the city. Most are demonstrating against the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, with protesters speaking out against the Biden administration’s handling of the conflict.