Chicago "Anti-Imperialist" Group To Target Jewish Organizations, Companies on Oct. 7th
Behind Enemy Lines, a self-described "anti-imperialist resistance" group, posted a list of "targets" including Jewish organizations they plan to disrupt on the anniversary of Hamas' Oct. 7th attack
A self-described "Anti-Imperialist Resistance" group called Behind Enemy Lines has organized protests in Chicago for October 7th, the anniversary of Hamas' massacre against Israel, with plans to target Governor JB Pritzker's property, foreign consulates, and the Jewish United Fund building under the slogan "no business as usual."
The group has called for supporters to join demonstrations in Chicago and New York City or "take up the call wherever they are." Social media posts from the group have promoted the event as "the second anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Flood," adopting Hamas' own terminology for the October 7th massacre.
Controversial Messaging and Target Selection
The organization's promotional materials for the October 7th event include language praising the Hamas attack, describing it as the day "They righteously broke through the apartheid wall and took the fight to their enemies," alongside images from the massacre.
The group has specifically called on supporters to "confront politicians" and gather at Israeli embassies or consulates, "in righteous resistance." Their target list includes not only government buildings and diplomatic facilities but also Jewish non-profit organizations, raising concerns among local Jewish advocacy groups.
The Chicago Jewish Alliance has publicly expressed concern about the planned demonstrations, stating on social media that "Behind Enemy Lines is openly planning to target Jewish organizations in Chicago on October 7. They are not hiding it.”
Previous Activities
Investigative analyst Stu Smith has documented the group's past events, including what they termed a "National Day of Agitation."
During the DNC protests in August 2024, Behind Enemy Lines organized demonstrations that resulted in dozens of arrests when protesters clashed with Chicago police officers. The group had specifically targeted the Israeli consulate and called for shutting down the convention entirely.
In December 2023, Boyte appeared on an online teach-in alongside a member of Samidoun who goes by the name “Hussein”, which has since been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and Canada. During the webinar, Boyte reportedly encouraged viewers to support Samidoun.
In the session, Hussein described the October 7th attacks as successful for creating conditions for prisoner exchanges, citing the 2011 release of Hamas leader and U.S.-designated terrorist Yahya Sinwar as evidence that such exchanges benefit what he termed the "resistance" movement.
Group's Background and Leadership
Behind Enemy Lines was founded after the 2020 George Floyd protests. The group gained national attention during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where it organized some of the more confrontational demonstrations.
Michael Boyte, the co-founder of Behind Enemy Lines, has been politically active for over two decades, initially organizing against various U.S. foreign policy initiatives during his high school years, according to a profile in The Progressive. The group has positioned itself as opposing what it characterizes as U.S. imperialism globally.