The discourse surrounding the proximity and scale of protest during the Democratic National Convention has been steeped in contention, as evidenced by a recent court encounter between a coalition of protest groups and the city officials of Chicago. Seeking greater access and a more extensive marching route, these groups contended with the city's proposed restrictions in court Monday. In a statement obtained by NBC Chicago, Hatem Abudayyeh, a representative of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network, expressed distrust in the city's negotiating tactics, saying, "I wanted to make the political point that these city attorneys blindsided us. That they claim they are negotiating in good faith and they are not."

The groups are adamant about expanding their marching route to more than two miles to properly accommodate an anticipated turnout of 20,000 to 25,000 protesters, a figure surpassing the attendance at the RNC in Milwaukee. Arguing before Federal Judge Andrea Wood, attorney Chris Williams, representing the coalition, raised concerns about the logistical nightmares posed by the city's current plan. Voicing the protesters' anxieties, Williams told NBC Chicago, "This was the city, in my opinion, operating in extreme bad faith by really using this as a punitive thing."

The contention extends to the use of these designated parks and who is responsible for providing necessary accommodations such as stages and sound systems. The Coalition and the city also collided over just a few days ago when, according to an interview with Abudayyeh by FOX 32 Chicago, the protesters were blindsided by the city's plans. "We understood that the city was providing stages, sound and portable toilets at Union Park and Park 578. But we got blindsided just a few days ago," Abudayyeh explained.