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.
“Make bruises from Chicago police batons the 2024 back to school Fall fashion! We won’t be silent, we won’t be tame…SHUT DOWN THE DNC!”
Johnson has a fondness for using the phrase “right-wing extremists,” and he continues to falsely blame those same so-called “right-wing” extremists for creating Chicago’s migrant crisis. And last Spring, Johnson and his allies bullied the parents rights group Awake Illinois for offering an invitation to former Chicago Public Schools CEO and school choice advocate Paul Vallas, to speak at one of the group’s meetings. Johnson repeatedly referred to the group run by a suburban mother as “extremists.”
Awake Illinois is a pro-American advocacy group for children and parents – and just last month, successfully blocked legislation in Springfield that would criminalize parents for denying gender transition and abortion services to minor children. And neither Awake Illinois or its founder Shannon Adcock has ever advocated for violence or celebrated death, yet Johnson prefers to attack women like Adcock and her organization that focuses on children, instead of actual extremist groups like Behind Enemy Lines.
In 2022, the Biden administration labeled parents as “domestic terrorists” for standing up for children and exercising their First Amendment rights during school board meetings across the country – but when it comes to groups that actually support terrorist activities like Behind Enemy Lines, Johnson and the Democrats are silent.
And earlier this year, several prominent and respected Chicago journalists reported that Johnson has been hospitalized several times for panic attacks – suggesting that he can’t handle the pressures of the job.
Only 21 percent of registered voters approve of Johnson’s performance – the lowest approval rating of any Chicago mayor in history.
