Cleveland’s police chief was talking to the crowd before one skirmish started in downtown’s Public Square.
Advertisement
“The bicycle breaks down all kinds of barriers”, said Maureen Becker, executive director of the International Police Mountain Bike Association.
A handful of protest groups came face to face in Cleveland’s Public Square on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention.
One skirmish broke out when right-wing conspiracy theorist and radio show host Alex Jones started speaking in downtown’s Public Square through a bullhorn.
Kim Snyder, a non-denominational minister from nearby Parma, Ohio, wearing a “Free Hugs” T-shirt, said that the recent attacks on police in Baton Rouge and Dallas drove her out to the demonstrations to “pray for” the police officers on duty and to help “deescalate” any tension.
Among the most chaotic scenes was a tense, midday standoff at an intersection close to where GOP congressmen and others do interviews at the TV networks’ makeshift studios – halting traffic and sending almost a hundred police officers to the scene.
After, the groups began to get more heated, specifically with each other, police brought in more numbers within the square and its surrounding area. Bicycle cops used their bikes to push protesters back.
Minutes later, more officers on bicycles formed a line between a conservative religious group and a communist-leaning organization carrying a sign that read, “America Was Never Great”.
There were no injuries or arrests from Tuesday’s encounter.
Also Tuesday, health officials said 11 members of the planning team for the California delegation to the Republican convention were recovering from a bout of norovirus, or what’s commonly known as stomach flu.
The Cleveland chapter of Black Lives Matter is not organizing any protests during the Republican National Convention, an organizer told NBC News.
Three individuals have been charged with criminal trespass for climbing a flag pole outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame downtown.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, Ariz., walks past a group of protester from Code Pink on Tuesday, July 19, in Cleveland.
At one of the protests in Cleveland Monday, there were groups with varying interests, from vocal anti-Islam protesters, to Trump supporters, to civil rights activists.
Cleveland firefighters removed the banner Tuesday morning.
At the event, Republicans are expected to name Donald Trump as their candidate to face likely Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton.
This story has been corrected to show that a private company from Seattle sent officers to Cleveland for bike training.
CLEVELAND (AP) – The first day of rallies outside the Republican National Convention featured angry rhetoric, armed attendees and an arrest, but authorities avoided the sort of violence they fear could still flare up.
Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams told reporters Monday evening, “So far, so good”.
Advertisement
A contingent of bicycle officers made a coordinated effort to keep about 20 marchers from advancing, lifting their bicycles and charging forward a few feet at a time as they yelled, “move back!”
