By Illinois Review
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson defended 25th Ward Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who addressed a rally hosted by the far-left extremist group Behind Enemy Lines, where an American flag was burned – as the organization calls for violence during the Chicago Democratic National Convention in August and hosted a speaker who celebrated the Israeli terrorist attack on October 7th.
Late last week, Mayor Johnson offered up his first public remarks about the controversial event and defended the Democratic alderman, saying,
“I can be offended by someone’s presentation, and also recognize that they have a fundamental right to express that. I don’t even know why this is being debated, quite frankly. It’s actually quite disturbing that, as a city, we’re having a conversation about protected speech in America.”
But Behind Enemy Lines has a troubling past and it’s shocking that a leader of the city and chairman of the city council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate, would accept an invitation to speak before a group that celebrated a terrorist attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis – the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust and rejects peaceful protests during the DNC Convention in August. It’s even more shocking that the mayor – the top official in the city, would remain silent about the group’s hateful and violent rhetoric.
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