"The whole world is watching." That was the rallying cry of protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Scenes of Chicago Police and National Guardsmen pummeling the protesters as gas filled the air on the convention floor will forever be etched in the minds of those who saw it. Out of the thick smoke came one unforgettable image that resonated like never before. That was the gas masks donned by the authorities as protest gave way to riot. 

It was clear that the gas mask was the key difference, and those who had them prevailed. As this nation is about to embark upon a contentious Presidential election and chaotic months to follow, this is a lesson one would do well to heed. Gas is a central element of crowd control and those who can operate in such an environment will remain when the smoke clears. In 1968, that was primarily the authorities. In modernity, anyone can be armed with such a mask to ensure they remain standing in the end. 

Protests at the 1968 DNC: Why They Gathered in Chicago

It was the convergence of several social and political issues combined with a contentious election that made the Democratic Party convention ground zero for social unrest. The Civil Rights movement was in full swing as was the anti-war movement protesting U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

Combine that with the assassination of several key political leaders and you have a recipe for unrest. It is hard not to draw similarities with our modern reality. Endless wars seem to have been the norm for the past 20 years and protests against police and law enforcement have left a wake of destruction over the past 8 years. 

Multiple assassination attempts have been made on Donald Trump, the former president, and this nation was one inch away from descending into similar chaos. This isn't 1968, but it is 2024 and we would do well to heed the lessons learned in the past. Those with gas masks like ours will prevail and win the day.

We're not here to pick a side. We're here to get America ready for the day that most people dread. A day that is closer than most would expect. We're here to point out that the similarities between 1968 foreshadow this next season of American history. We're confident that our nation will prevail. However, we are equally confident that clashes between police and demonstrators will become a more common occurrence for which most are ill-prepared.  

How the Chicago Seven made the Democratic Convention Ground Zero

As it was then, so it is now, all it takes for unrest to develop is for a small group of organized individuals to add masses to the mix. In Chicago '68, that was the Chicago Seven (Originally the Chicago Eight) as they became known. Brought to trial after the melee, they would be deemed the primary instigators of the affair. 

It was their intent to incite a riot from the beginning and clash with the Chicago Police Department was inevitable. News outlets like the Chicago Tribune or CBS News would act shocked at the violence, but violence was the goal all along. A battle was coming to Chicago whether it wanted one or not prior to the election of 1968. 

It is likely that not every protester who showed up at the DNC in Chicago was gunning for violence. The same could likely be said of the violent protests during the Black Lives Matter movement. You could even make a similar argument for the insurrection that transpired on the Capitol on January 6th, 2021.  

However, once you show up to the event you become part of their plan whether you intended it or not. Groups like the National Mobilization Committee to end the War in Vietnam and Students for a Democratic Society were running the show. The mob became the cannon fodder. We suggest that you prepare for such a situation where those who organized you have little care for your well being. 

Violence by the Chicago Police department was expected and as such, it was part of the intended show by event organizers. There is a case to be made that they never thought they could breach the Chicago convention. However, what they could do is get the news media to cover the battle for Chicago and sway hearts and minds at home. 

The Role of the Police Response at the 1968 DNC 

Outside the convention hall, protestors were gathering in Lincoln Park as it became the focal point for organized activity. Grant Park would eventually become a central location as well and at some point, the police and national guard would have to move in if they were to keep the rioters from breaching inside the convention. 

Police riot gear would prove decisive as the protestors were estimated to be around 10,000 throughout the event. The world was indeed watching as the authorities moved in on the crowds and began to displace them with any force necessary in order to prevent the breach of the International Amphitheatre in Chicago where the convention was held. 

It was not a singular day affair which meant that America had plenty of time to tune in the television and watch the unrest unfold. Over a period of five days, America watched until the protest culminated on the last day of the convention with clashes in Grant Park and Michigan Avenue. 

At the end of the day, the nomination of Vice President Hubert Humphrey was complete and he would become the Democratic nominee for President. On one hand some might say that the protests failed as not only did the nomination move forward, but Humphrey would go on to lose to President Richard Nixon, in part due to America's shock at the convention violence. 

On the other hand, the 1968 violence was America's first real look at what it takes to withstand the intensity of modern unrest. Those who were prepared and equipped remained. Those who did not were quenched. If you plan to be anywhere near a protest or site of unrest in the wake of the 2024 election, you would do well to heed this lesson. 

Health Risks During Civil Unrest: Lessons from the 1968 Democratic Convention

It wasn't just the site of the convention that witnessed turmoil. The Conrad Hilton Hotel became a flashpoint as that is where many journalists and delegates called home during the event. The lesson is that if political violence is coming to your city, anywhere in your city, you must be prepared. 

Prolonged exposure to chemical control agents can have lasting effects long beyond the snot, tears, and coughing. Respiratory conditions, eye damage, and gastrointestinal issues have long been reported as possible from repeated exposure. You have to remember that such agents are reported as "non-lethal." Never have they been reported as harmless. 

Our CBRN Gas Mask Filter NBC-77 protects against a wide variety of known toxic CBRN agents, to include radioactive iodine.  It is going to hold up against prolonged exposure and it is going to keep you in the fight for what matters most to you. Sure, you can wrap a wet t-shirt around your face if you want. Just don't expect to come out unscathed from the effects of the gas. 

The Importance of PPE Gear at Protests: Insights from Chicago 1968 

As we saw in 1968, we equally saw in 2016 and 2020 with our nation's most recent incidents of unrest. Those who are prepared to withstand the gas can hold their ground. Gas has become such a common method of crowd control that it seems negligent to not prepare for it. 

This is true of the authorities and the civilian crowds. In this day and age, it is not always immediately clear which side had the higher moral ground. That is why all must prepare as if the moral high ground will be held and maintained. 

Within the convention, you likely had delegates that supported the protestors and those that did not. There were those who would levy criticism of the Chicago police's use of force and those that would praise it. Right from wrong is not as easy to discern as one would think during periods of political upheaval and one can never be certain as to which side they will find themselves. 

During the Vietnam War, there were patriots who supported the nation's involvement and there were patriots who opposed it. To this day, people will debate who was in the right, but what is incontrovertible in 1968 was that the equipped and prepared won the day. If you want to hold the line on either side, protection against chemical threats is a game changer. 

The Lessons of the '68 Convention and the Peril of 2024

As mentioned earlier, we have all the ingredients for unrest that would eclipse what happened in August 1968 at the Democratic Party's convention. The willingness to incite a riot has been proven and demonstrated on both sides of the political spectrum.

The siege of Chicago is little different than those we saw in Portland and Seattle as of late. Regardless of what you think of January 6th, we saw gas and riot gear deployed by both sides. Demonstrators and police will clash over the next 6 months and that is nearly a guarantee. 

In 1968, it was the Chicago Seven who took the fall for the 1968 Democratic Convention. In 2020 it was Antifa who stirred up the violence. On January 6th, the Proud Boys were singled out. We don't know who it will be next, but some group of people is ready to light the fuse. The only question is whether or not you will be ready.