Democratic National Convention Monitoring

August 21, 2024

DarkOwl analysts are monitoring deep and dark web actors for mentions of the Democratic National Convention being held this week at the United Center and McCormick Place in Chicago from August 19-22. Analysts have observed an increase in chatter pertaining to the DNC, with numerous extremist channels, boards, and forums discussing the convention and in many cases amplifying misinformation pertaining to the DNC and planned protests.

Notably, since the start of the DNC on August 19, DarkOwl has located false claims of “chaos” erupting at the convention, often in conjunction with Islamophobic rhetoric directed at pro-Palestinian protesters. Multiple individuals and groups on the deep and dark web are contributing to fueling fear and panic by misrepresenting protests scheduled to be held throughout the week and exaggerating risks. Far-right, white supremacist groups are actively amplifying this rhetoric by spreading misinformation claiming that an “insurrection” and “civil war” is occurring in Chicago this week. In contrast to these false claims gaining traction online and being promoted on the dark web, the protests held on the opening day of the DNC remained predominantly peaceful.

In addition to protest-related chatter, according to open sources, on August 20, bomb threats mentioning the DNC were reportedly received by four Chicago hotels hosting convention attendees. Police are investigating and several dark web channels have since picked up on the news, sharing the headline. The incident comes amid an increase in false bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting a variety of facilities over the past two years.

Ultimately, at this time, DarkOwl has not located any credible threats directed at the DNC, but is continuing to closely monitor threat actors for concerning rhetoric. The DNC has been designated as a “National Special Security Event,” and the U.S. Secret Service is responsible for securing convention venues with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and other agencies. Chicago residents have been encouraged by emergency officials to subscribe to DNC alerts by texting “DNC” to 226787.