Another national tragedy threatens to overshadow the opening of the Republican National Convention after three police officers were killed and three others were wounded in a shooting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
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The second day of the convention started off quietly.
Greene said the National Lawyers Guild is concerned about the prospect of mass arrests, probable cause issues, crowd control tactics and heavy-handed use of force by police, in a city long-strained by racial tensions.
Other groups that have promised to make appearances are antiwar demonstrators, biker groups, Second Amendment advocates who have promised to show up armed, and the Westboro Baptist Church, which protests US tolerance of gay rights. Police officers were on hand just in case, but the atmosphere was relaxed. Blocks away, protesters shouted about police mistreatment.
In recent days, law enforcement officers have been stressing that they are prepared for any scenario. Oklahoma delegate Hope Sutterfield of Duncan says she believes Cruz’s mere appearance at the convention is an endorsement of the GOP’s nominee.
The committee has been working closely with the Secret Service, the Cleveland Police, the FBI, and additional state, local, and federal partners to ensure safety.
A team of live-streaming videographers directed their attention at police, while self-proclaimed anarchists and those protesting police were also in the mix. “We actually had one yesterday afternoon with a group that was voicing their First Amendment concerns, and we expect to have them throughout the convention, whether they’re scheduled or impromptu”.
A Cleveland police officer says awareness is high in the department after recent shootings of police officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ramped up anxieties following another catastrophic terror attack on French soil present another challenge to a police department now under federal oversight after the Justice Department determined in 2014 that it had engaged in “a pattern or practice of the use of excessive force”. The protesters countered him by chanting: “Love trumps hate”. Police on bike and on foot formed lines to keep pockets of protesters separated. Dickerson then asked Williams a question that’s been on a lot of people’s minds, thanks to the convention taking place in the state of Ohio.
There was at least one dust-up, involving right-wing religious demonstrators who got into a shouting match with some of the anti-Trump protesters. Police approached a small group masking up in a doorway, wearing backpacks with gas masks and sling shots inside.
“Obviously, it’s all just peaceful protesting”, Hundley said. At one point, police cleared the street.
Officers said over a police scanner that some demonstrators are throwing urine.
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She added that law enforcement is there to support the community and hopes the community will help support their efforts by alerting them to suspicious behaviour and packages.
