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History Daily

1210: Chicago’s Days of Rage

History Daily

History Daily

History

4.42.1K Ratings

🗓️ 8 October 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

October 8, 1969. The streets of Chicago are turned into a battleground as extreme left-wing student group the Weathermen begins a series of violent protests.


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Transcript

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0:00.0

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0:04.1

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0:06.0

As a member of NoisorPlus at noisor.com or in Apple Podcasts,

0:10.6

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHist p.m. on October 8th, 1969, in the affluent Gold Coast area of Chicago, Illinois.

0:33.0

Walking carefully backward, 17-year-old student photographer David Fenton raises his camera and snaps

0:39.4

a picture of the crowd of protesters moving down the street. David has spent the past year documenting

0:45.0

the weatherman, a radical left-wing group determined to overthrow the U.S. government. And today is the

0:51.1

first of four days of rage when the weathermen plan to use violent protests

0:55.5

to bring attention to their cause. But as David looks at the group, he can see turnout is low.

1:01.4

The weathermen hoped tens of thousands of people would join them, but less than 300 have turned

1:06.0

up. Still, those who are here don't seem deterred by their small number.

1:15.1

As David prepares to take another photograph, one of the activists in front of him pulls out a crowbar from underneath his jacket.

1:17.9

He then runs to the nearest doorfront and smashes the glass window.

1:22.8

This first act of violence provokes another and then another.

1:26.9

Moving as a pack, the weathermen go on

1:28.9

the rampage, destroying anything and everything in their path, stores, cars, mailboxes, they're all

1:34.8

targeted. But as the group reaches the center of the Gold Coast District, they suddenly come face

1:40.4

to face with a wall of police officers who seem to have been expecting a big turnout.

1:45.5

They outnumber the demonstrators five to one, but the protesters still aren't frightened.

1:50.7

Rather than stop and turn back, the weathermen begin hurling bricks and bottles at the police line.

1:56.1

This is the confrontation they've come here for, and they're just getting started.

2:03.6

With their violent protest, the Weatherman planned to bring the Vietnam War to the streets of America.

...

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