At the noon hour, a small group protesting Donald Trump’s plan for a wall between the US and Mexico built a human blockade in downtown Cleveland.
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A small group protesting Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall between the USA and Mexico is making its own wall in downtown Cleveland.
The Cleveland police chief says 300 officers from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies are being deployed on bicycles in downtown Cleveland during the Republican National Convention.
Some conventioneers and protesters have said fear of violence has diminished the protesting crowds in Cleveland, but Tuesday’s action showed that the crowds are growing.
About 300 officers from more than a dozen law enforcement agencies are patrolling downtown Cleveland on bicycles during the convention.
Cleveland Police said that two officers were “assaulted” and sustained “minor injuries”.
The city’s police chief said he spent three hours Tuesday evening riding with bicycle officers on patrol and that he waded into one confrontation because he’s “still a police officer”.
There were tense moments and some angry words over the four days as anarchists, anti-Muslim protesters and pro-capitalist groups congregated on the square.
Pockets of people spread around the square promoting various causes Wednesday contributed to a carnival-like atmosphere.
At one point, Chief Williams joined a prayer circle.
“It may have created a sentiment, a collective sentiment that maybe we ought to pull back a little bit”, Chriss said. Just a few people lingered on Public Square on an oppressively warm day.
Jesse Gonzalez, of Lakewood, a Cleveland suburb, carried a rifle on Public Square while wearing a camouflage-style “Make America Great Again” hat. There was a scuffle inside the mob, and police moved in to separate the group.
Numerous protests were peaceful, but a few of them became violent and resulted in arrests.
Protesters and demonstrators themselves numbered in the hundreds, not the thousands as had been hoped. While pleased with the peace, they worry that the heavy police presence will now be mirrored across the nation at future political events.
Orleans County GOP Chair Edward F. Morgan, another 27th district delegate, said he was initially nervous about protests before coming to Cleveland.
Delegates, media and others walking into the Republican National Convention from the Prospect Avenue/4th Street entrance will now pass by a crime scene.
Early reports said that police used pepper spray on protesters, but the statement clarified that a fire extinguisher was used to put out the burning flag and.
Off to one side, some Black Lives Matter protesters and Trump supporters shouted at each other.
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Williams said an officer was punched, and a dispersal order was then given. “The police have done such a wonderful job, unbelievable”.
