The National Lawyers Guild plans to help anyone arrested during the DNC protests

CHICAGO (CBS) — The countdown is running until Democratic National Conventionand around 25,000 protesters are expected to take to the streets and exercise their right to freedom of expression.

A plan was unveiled Wednesday for those who may be arrested during these demonstrations. Dozens of lawyers have volunteered to represent those taken into custody under these circumstances – and many will be wearing green hats to witness the events unfolding in real time.

“It's really important that people can be civically engaged and advocate for the causes that they support. I think when they see an increased police presence, like we see at events that affect national security, sometimes people are afraid to protest,” said Matthew McLoughlin, chief of operations and mass defense coordinator for the Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. “Our hope is that by providing these legal services, we can empower people to be confident in getting out into the streets and making their voices heard.”

McLoughlin has helped train about 150 lawyers and law students to respond to protest-related arrests at the DNC.

“People are really excited to partner with NLG Chicago to provide legal assistance to those protesting the Democratic National Convention,” he said. “In the last eight months, we've held well over a dozen trainings and over 150 people have been trained to provide legal assistance.”

Some members of the National Lawyers Guild will wear their bright neon green caps as legal observers during the protest.

“We monitor police activities and collect information about people arrested so that our members can meet with people in police custody and ensure their rights are protected,” McLoughlin said.

Chicago police have been training for months to respond to demonstrations during the convention.

“The Chicago Police Department is here to protect your rights, your First Amendment rights. Your voice will be heard,” Police Commissioner Larry Snelling said on June 6 in a point he repeated many times since“But we will not tolerate the violence again.”

Protest groups, many of whom want to protest in solidarity with the Palestinian cause and against the war in Gaza, expect tens of thousands of people to a route a little over a mile long.

Meanwhile, the Cook County Circuit Court is opening a additional temporary court facility in the case of mass arrests. The district court told CBS News Chicago that several dozen judges had cleared their calendars except for essential proceedings to be available for such cases.

Pro bono lawyers like McLoughlin also plan to be there.

“I think what happens during the DNC will depend largely on how the Chicago police respond to the protesters,” he said.

In addition to its legal services and training, the National Lawyers Guild is establishing a hotline that will be available 24 hours a day during the DNC for legal questions. This hotline can be found at 872-4NLG-CHIor 872-465-4244.

Meanwhile, protest groups suing the city of Chicago over their First Amendment right to protest finally received their permits on Wednesday. But they say they still plan to appeal part of that decision because they were not granted the right to bring a sound system to the protests.