The groups behind one of the DNC’s most violent protests

CHICAGO — The Instagram message posted by “Behind Enemy Lines,” a little-known anarchist group, on Tuesday afternoon was clear.

“If you believe that a message was sent to the DNC by the city-approved and peace-policed march, than stay home tonight,” the group said, referring to the relatively peaceful first day of protests at the Democratic National Convention. “If you think the people of Palestine require more, be at the Israeli consulate tonight. 7pm.”

A group of roughly 200 people showed up at the rally organized by Behind Enemy Lines and Samidoun, an organization that praised Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and that Germany and Israel have banned over alleged ties to terrorist groups. 

Speeches were short in what quickly became one of the most violent protests at this week’s Democratic National Convention. “These are the enemy of the people and we must move on these motherf——,” a masked man said over a microphone. 

The masked leader screamed profanity about Israel and imperialism into a megaphone, and called police officers “pigs.” He repeatedly ignored police orders to disperse and led demonstrators down an improvised route, flooding a street. Protesters hurled signs and water bottles at officers. At one point, they engulfed a taxi cab with passengers inside. 

In all, police arrested 56 people. At least four individuals suffered minor injuries, including two protesters and two police officers. Chicago police said 22 of those arrested were from outside the city — many from the West Coast. 

Among them was a longtime anarchist hacker who had served time in federal prison named Jeremy Hammond. A 39-year-old Chicago native, Hammond has a prior federal arrest and conviction for participating in a hack that gave information from a private company to WikiLeaks. He was also associated with several high-profile hacks of federal and local law enforcement agencies, according to court filings. 

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said that although officers look at the affiliations of those arrested, investigators focus more on who is committing violent acts.

“What we’re looking at are actions, because you may have people who show up here who are affiliated with particular groups, who just talk,” Snelling said. “We plan for those who show up here to cause destruction, chaos, criminal activity, violence, and that’s what we’ve trained for.”

Former FBI officials said that some protest groups, under the guise of free…