The city of Chicago is preparing for mass arrests and protests ahead of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) starting Monday, clearing space in jails and boarding up facilities, according to multiple reports.

Cook County Circuit Judge Timothy C. Evans announced in July that he was preparing court facilities for mass arrests resulting from protests surrounding the Democratic National Convention. According to According to a press release, several local businesses have used plywood to block off their doors and windows in case the protests turn violent, threatening vandalism. WGN Chicago Reported.

“We know from past experience that something could happen, so we want to be proactive and stay ahead of it,” Scott Shapiro, owner of a Chicago men's clothing store, told WGN Chicago.

In a July press release, Judge Evans said the court would be open from 8 a.m. to midnight to process cases. (Related article: Delegate withdraws from Democratic National Convention after body camera footage released of police arrest during protest)

“We have been meeting for weeks with more than 50 people from county, city, state and federal agencies to prepare for the possibility of multiple arrests,” Evans said in a press release. “We want to ensure that law enforcement can focus on maintaining peace and that the rights of those arrested are strictly respected. I thank the government and court officials for their continued collaboration in this important effort.”

Cook County Circuit Court said in a press release that judges have also cleared their schedules for “non-essential court proceedings” in preparation for the protests. The court has an alternative plan in place for potential overcrowding, and that arrests will be handled by Chicago Police.

The March on the Democratic National Convention Coalition, an alliance of about 200 anti-Israel groups, plans to begin protests on Monday, The Washington Post reported. ReportedThe group received permission to protest, and city officials reversed earlier decisions to ban sound systems and portable toilets.

According to the Washington Post, pro-Israel groups are also planning to hold protests alongside pro-Palestinian groups. The city of Chicago initially denied the pro-Israel groups a permit, citing “interference.” However, the decision was later reversed, allowing him to briefly sit in the chair.

“We want police to be safe,” Evans said. said In an interview with PBS on Tuesday, he said: “We hope that everything will go well, but in case mass arrests do occur, we have issued orders to set up facilities that will be specifically set aside to deal with such incidents.”

“What we don't want is to exhaust the judges,” Evans said in an interview.

The Democratic National Convention set It will be held from August 19th to 22nd.

The Cook County Circuit Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.

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