“This will force thousands of peaceful participants and protesters, who might otherwise choose to avoid or limit direct and immediate interactions with each other, into extremely close, consistent and unavoidable proximity. As recent clashes on university and college campuses make clear, forced proximity increases tensions between peaceful participants and demonstrators of different ideologies and increases the risk of escalation into verbal or even physical confrontations and intervention. law enforcement correspondent,” wrote attorney Todd Steggerda of McGuireWoods.
Instead, the GOP wants the Secret Service to include the area called Parc Père Marquette in its security perimeter, which would force the city to choose a different area for its “First Amendment Zone.” Père Marquette is the large park closest to the arena. The RNC has proposed another park near City Hall across the river from the arena, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations .
In the letter, Steggerda writes that the RNC asked Secret Service officials to modify the plan, but that “this critical gap has not been filled.” By sending this letter, the RNC escalates the dispute to the Secret Service director and demands a meeting to discuss the matter.
A Secret Service spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
GOP officials expect large protests this summer at the Milwaukee convention, and the city is already hosting a daily schedule of lectures and a parade for protesters.
“To accommodate speakers, the City will provide an organized speaker platform with ample space, audio equipment and a podium a short distance from Fiserv Forum,” according to the city’s website.
Nick DeSiato, chief of staff for the city of Milwaukee, said the city also faces pressure from protesters who want to move closer to the convention. Pere Marquette Park is the closest available park, “within sight and sound” of the convention, he said, and other city parks are further away.
“The location is based on the security perimeter established exclusively by the Secret Service,” he said.
Secret Service officials told city officials they did not want to get involved in a political fight, said another person familiar with the discussions, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the confidential negotiations.
“This was not designed to attack Republicans. This is where we were also going to have a protest zone for Democrats in 2020,” this person said.
City officials said activist groups, some Republicans and individual citizens had requested to speak at the designated protest site. Protesters could sue the city if they are pushed too far from the arena where the convention is being held.
Former President Donald Trump long abhorred protesters and was accustomed to pandering crowds. When protesters enter his rallies and start chanting, they are usually quickly dragged out to applause from the crowd.
He did not encounter any protesters at the 2020 convention because it was held on the White House lawn. The Washington Post reported that protests in Cleveland in 2016 for the GOP convention were smaller than expected.
Liberal groups have also become angry with the city of Milwaukee for what they see as overly strict restrictions on protesters. Some argued that the location of the demonstration was already too far from the convention hall.
“The ordinance adopted by the city places numerous restrictions on when, where and how individuals can march, assemble and protest – and we believe without full consideration of the appropriate limitations that protect the rights of these individuals to title of the first amendment”, Ryan Cox, attorney. director of the ACLU of Wisconsin, told Wisconsin Public Radio last month.
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