MILWAUKEE (AP) — Hundreds of protesters rallied in downtown Milwaukee on Monday, Republican National Conventionhe said. Assassination attempt The protests against former President Donald Trump will not affect long-standing plans to hold a rally outside the venue.
A wide range of groups and activists gathered at a downtown park outside the security perimeter of the Fiserv Forum to hear speakers ahead of street demonstrations organized by the Coalition for the Republican National Convention. The coalition is made up of mostly local groups that support abortion and immigrant rights, The war in Gaza.
The atmosphere was festive, with music blaring from speakers, a man strumming a guitar, and a concession stand selling T-shirts and badges supporting both Republicans and Democrats. One protester wore an orange prison uniform with a giant cutout of Trump’s face. Activists held signs that read “Support Palestine,” “No More Paying for the Rich” and “Protect and Expand Immigrant Rights.”
At one point, a group of protesters got into an altercation with counter-demonstrators who were criticising LGBTQ+ rights, Muslims, Black Lives Matter and women.
Counter-protester Rich Penkoski of Stillwater, Oklahoma, yelled into a bullhorn that women should go home and make sandwiches for their husbands. Protesters eventually walked away from the counter-protesters as police looked on.
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At midday, protesters began marching around the arena’s security perimeter in temperatures approaching 90 degrees (32 Celsius), chanting “Hey hey, ho ho, get out Republicans” and “This is what democracy looks like,” many carrying Palestinian flags.
The protesters passed within a block of Fiserv Forum, on the edge of the arena’s security zone, before returning to the downtown park where they began. Milwaukee police estimated the crowd at about 700 to 800 people and said no arrests were made. However, an Associated Press reporter saw a man in handcuffs being detained by police outside the park after the protest had ended. Officers told reporters the man had been arrested for disturbing peace, but it was not immediately clear why he was arrested or whether he had been at the protests.
Poor People’s Army, a Philadelphia-based group that advocates for economic justice, held a march late Monday afternoon. In preparation for the march, two dozen protesters gathered at a park about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Fiserv Forum, writing slogans on signs decrying corporate greed, mass incarceration, the war in Gaza and other issues as Pete Seeger’s “Which Side Are You On?” blared over a loudspeaker.
Jill Stein, a Green Party candidate who has run for president multiple times, addressed the group, calling for cuts to military spending and more investment in public education, public housing and health care. She did not mention the assassination attempt.
Sheri Honkala, 60, said she came to Milwaukee from one of Pennsylvania’s poorest districts “to send a strong message to all politicians” that people living below the poverty line “cannot survive.”
Honkala said she was nervous about encountering police or counter-protesters while marching with the Army of the Poor after the assassination attempt on President Trump, but she remained undeterred.
“The climate is certainly frightening,” she said, “but what’s even more frightening is the silence.”
Man with gun A man identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire during a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening, grazing Trump by the ear. One rally attendee was killed and two more were seriously injured, sparking widespread calls for increased security and raising questions about Trump’s safety in Milwaukee. Arrived The same goes for people who visited the city on Sunday, and other tournament participants.
we secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said Monday that the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are “reviewing and enhancing” security plans for the convention and will continue to adapt their operations as needed. She added that the Secret Service has also made changes to Trump’s security staff, without providing details.
Kristin Newman Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, Wisconsin’s largest immigrant rights group, condemned the political violence but blamed Trump for stoking the anger.
“There is no denying that President Trump’s rhetoric, policies and actions have contributed to a climate of increased violence and the legalization of hate crimes,” she said.
Peter Wilt, 64, of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, was in the crowd Monday morning, holding a sign that read, “Time to ban automatic weapons now,” a reference to the assassination attempt, Wilt said.
“Common sense gun control laws are just that, common sense,” he said. “Republicans have refused to enact common sense gun control laws in part because they can’t understand it.”
A large police presence was present in the city, with officers from several jurisdictions providing security. Pentagon officials said 1,700 National Guard troops from Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota were also on active duty at the convention. Milwaukee city and federal officials said their priority was to safety And they claim to respect freedom of speech.
Many activists are using their experiences in Milwaukee to prepare for the next election. Democratic National Convention Even larger crowds are expected to attend the event in Chicago next month, and Chicago Police training About constitutional policing and preparing for the possibility of mass arrests.
Milwaukee police Although the training was not extensive, we did carry out some exercises related to the tournament.
“With any large gathering, people have to be mindful at all times,” said Hilario DeLeon, chairman of the Milwaukee County Republican Party. “If it succeeds, the city succeeds.”
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Associated Press writers Kathleen Foudy in Chicago and Lolita Baldor in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.
