Bomb threat at Chicago DNC day 2 ahead of Barack Obama's speech

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: At least four Chicago hotels were targeted by a bomb threat on Tuesday, August 20, coinciding with the second day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), according to a report.

The threats came hours before former president Barack Obama and other star democrats were scheduled to address the convention.

Cops and K9 units deployed at Chicago hotels following bomb threats

Police responded to the bomb threats with K9 units at one of the hotels following the warning that claimed there were pipe bombs in the buildings, as reported by Fox 32 Chicago.

The threat, emailed to the outlet's newsroom claimed that pipe bombs were placed in at least four hotels: the Hotel Chicago West Loop, the Hyatt House Chicago in West Loop and the University District, and the Nobu Hotel in West Loop.

The email referenced the ongoing Democratic National Convention and included "anti-Semitic statements," the station reported.

“Police and K9’s at the Nobu Hotel in West Loop… our news desk received an email claiming a pipe bomb threat at this and three other West Loop / Near West Side hotels,” reported Paris Schutz, a political correspondent for the local TV channel, on X (formerly Twitter).

Bomb threats coincide with high-profile DNC event featuring Barack Obama

The Chicago Police Department informed the New York Post that "The US Secret Service is aware of threats made to various locations in the Downtown area. Law enforcement personnel are screening the affected areas and examining the credibility of the threat," according to the statement given by the department.

Apart from Barack Obama's scheduled speech, the convention’s lineup for the day also included Michelle Obama, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, and Senator Bernie Sanders. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Senator Tammy Duckworth.

Moreover, two Republicans: Mesa, Arizona, Mayor John Giles, and Stephanie Grisham, a former press secretary for Donald Trump, according to Politico.

What will Barack Obama and Michelle Obama speak about at DNC?

Barack Obama is expected to "affirm why Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are precisely the leaders the country needs right now, lay out the task in front of Democrats over the next eleven weeks, and bring into focus the values at stake in this election and at the heart of our politics,” according to an insider cited by Politico.

The former First Lady, Michelle Obama, is also expected to "lay out how Kamala Harris is ready to lead our country forward and turn the page on fear and division," as per the same source.

The bomb threat coincides with anti-Israel protests taking place around the DNC convention. Earlier on Tuesday, Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Tim Walz was interrupted during his address to the Women’s Caucus by a group of pro-Palestinian protesters.

The demonstrators from Code Pink chanted “stop killing women in Gaza” and carried banners that read “Kamala: No weapons to Israel” and “arms embargo now.”