‘The world is watching’: 1968 protests set stage for Democratic convention

On Monday Democrats return to Chicago to prepare to anoint Kamala Harris as their candidate - amid striking parallels with the events 56 years ago

Sean Wilentz was in the convention hall when someone handed out copies of a news wire report. I remember the first line," he says. It said, The lid blew off of this convention city tonight.'" The article went on to describe chaos and bloodshed in Chicago as police clashed with protesters against the Vietnam war.

Just 17 at the time, Wilentz and a couple of friends raced to the scene in downtown Chicago. It was horrible. The cops were angry and didn't like the kids and the kids were angry and didn't like the cops. I saw a motorcycle cop go on a sidewalk and pin a kid against the wall. I was very scared."