Days Of Rage May 2026

Leaders like Bill Ayers , Bernadine Dohrn , and John Jacobs aimed to replace the American government with a revolutionary system. Key Events

The were a series of violent direct actions and riots that took place from October 8–11, 1969 , in Chicago. Organized by the Weathermen (later the Weather Underground), a radical faction of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the event was designed to "bring the war home" and ignite a domestic revolution against the Vietnam War and American imperialism. Context and Goals

Following the failure to spark a mass uprising, the Weathermen went underground, transitioning into a clandestine group that conducted a years-long bombing campaign against government and corporate targets. Days of Rage

A "Women’s Militia" led by Bernadine Dohrn attempted to raid a draft board office but was quickly neutralized by police.

The resulting legal battles and internal divisions led to the collapse of the SDS as a national organization. Leaders like Bill Ayers , Bernadine Dohrn ,

Protesters gathered in Lincoln Park and charged through the affluent Gold Coast neighborhood, smashing windows of luxury cars, businesses, and the Chicago History Museum.

The violence alienated many in the broader anti-war movement. Black Panther leader Fred Hampton famously denounced the action as "anarchistic" and "folly". Context and Goals Following the failure to spark

The demonstrations fell far short of the expected turnout of tens of thousands, with only a few hundred "ragers" arriving to face roughly 2,000 heavily armed police officers.