Legendary singer-songwriter and self-described "lifelong Democrat" James Taylor is slated to perform Monday night following first lady Jill Biden's address.

Taylor played at the DNC in 2012 when then President Barack Obama ran for a second term. Speaking to reporters after his performance, Taylor said supporting Democrats has been a big part of his life and career.

Police were closing in on a breakaway group after some protesters took down a barrier and crossed it, putting them a block away from the DNC arena.

Protest organizers continued to attempt to usher people out of the area and back onto the march’s planned route — but they were unsuccessful.

In the area between two barricades distancing the protesters from the arena, a group of several dozen police officers have emerged and have formed a wall of bodies apparently designed to prevent the protesters from advancing forward.

The official march then began walking again. It appearred to be an effort by organizers to move the growing crowd away from the barricades. The effort was not successful as the breakaway group of protesters locked arms and was in a stand off with police.

Fresh off winning an Olympic gold medal, Golden State Warriors coach and nine-time NBA champion Steve Kerr is slated to address the convention tonight, according to a program schedule.

Kerr, who has endorsed the Harris-Walz ticket, frequently uses his public platform to weigh in on political issues. He has criticized Trump for incendiary comments about women and people of color. He has lobbied for tighter federal gun control measures and advocated for racial justice.

Chicago happens to be symbolically meaningful for Kerr, who won three NBA championships as a player on the Chicago Bulls.

Kerr most recently coached the U.S. men's basketball team to its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Paris Olympics. He is slated to speak before remarks from United Automobile Workers president Shawn Fain and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

After aggressively shaking the security barrier on the southern edge of Park #578 — the last point of the park before a parking lot adjacent to the United Center — a few dozen protesters have taken down part of the barrier.

Protesters have climbed up a jersey barrier and continue to jostle the security fence loose. Several dozen police are looking on.

Protesters have now entered through the barrier into a street. On the other side of the street is another barrier. Police are on the other side of that barrier.

West Washington Blvd was protected on both sides by security fences to serve as a buffer between Park 578 and the United Center where the DNC is taking place.

The group of protesters took down the fencing on the south side of the street and took over that protected street.

March organizers are demanding that the protesters who have taken down the barriers stop their activity and continue marching.

Two protesters are now throwing bottles of water over the second fence at police officers.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office said today they will defer to the judge on former President Donald Trump’s bid to delay, until after the election, his sentencing on falsifying business records charges.

In a walk-through of the convention hall this afternoon, Biden briefly responded to shouted questions from reporters as he stood at the podium onstage.

Asked if it was a bittersweet moment for him, Biden said, "It's a memorable moment."

And when asked what he makes of Trump's claims that Biden was pushed out of the presidential race in what amounts to a coup, the president said, “His stability is still in question."

Biden also said he is also ready to pass the torch to Harris, saying, "I am."

Sean Parmelee, 36, is marching with a sign that reads, “We’re trying to help you, Kamala.”

He means it earnestly.

“I’m voting for her — but many people here are not,” said Parmelee, a Chicago resident. “Honestly, she is making it very hard for them.”

“Look at all this energy. She can have it all if she chooses,” he said.

Parmelee said he’s protesting because pushing for a cease-fire and an arms embargo with Israel “is the right thing to do.”

“And it’s the right strategy for Kamala Harris,” he said.

As Parmelee spoke, a protest organizer wielding a megaphone led the crowd in a loud chant of, “Harris, Harris, what do you say, how many kids have you killed today?”

The march reached park #578, just one city block from the United Center, the home of the official DNC proceedings this week.

Protesters are now technically within “sight and sound” of the arena — which had been their goal during the arduous rounds of litigation with the city of Chicago to determine the march route.

Protesters have paused at the southernmost gate of park #578 — their closest point to the United Center — to yell their chants.

The DNC will kick off with speakers at 5:15 p.m. local time, and President Joe Biden will end the night with a speech and show of support for Harris.

At a progressive event on the sidelines of the DNC, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders praised Biden as "the most progressive president in modern history" and said he largely "kept his word" to be the most progressive executive since FDR.

Sanders was speaking at an event billed as Progressive Central 2024 hosted by the Chicago Teachers Union and Progressive Democrats of America.

When he was asked how much liberals should work within the Democratic Party, Sanders defended Biden and Harris from left-flank critiques, telling the audience that they need to "do anything we can to make sure" Harris wins in November.

He also joked that Harris and her running mate Tim Walz are "unfortunately" not as liberal as Fox News makes them out to be.