Portrait of a protester: Outside the Democratic convention, a young man talks of passion and plans

CHICAGO (AP) — Bearded and bespectacled, YM Masood has a quiet nature that suggests he’s older than age 20. A political science major, he plans to graduate from college in December, well ahead of schedule. He’s studying for the LSAT, the entrance exam for law school.

He has another frequent role as well: protester.

Masood, a student at the University of Illinois Chicago, has taken to the city’s streets in recent months for pro-Palestinian rallies, often weekly and — once — twice in the same day.

“Palestine is definitely No. 1 right now,” Masood says. Last spring, he also traveled by train to support pro-Palestinian encampments at the University of Chicago and Northwestern and DePaul universities.

That set the stage for this week’s Democratic National Convention, where thousands gathered to raise their voices on issues from the Middle East conflict to abortion and immigrant rights. Though the cameras often focused on scraps with police, the overwhelming majority marched peacefully.

Masood was often there, volunteering as a marshal to help organizers of these larger protests keep things in line. The overarching messages to the Democratic Party and its nominee, Kamala Harris, were clear: End the war. Stop sending aid to Israel.

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