All eyes are on the Republican National Convention and potential changes to security in the wake of the shooting Saturday at a campaign rally for former President Donald Trump that left two people dead.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, on X, denounced political violence and said that he will “continue to be in close communication” with those coordinating security at the RNC, which is taking place at the Fiserv Forum this week.
Despite this heightened concern, the organizers of a protest march at the RNC said their plans have not changed because of the shooting.
The goal of the march, organized by the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024, is to peacefully voice concerns about the Republican Party agenda, including what it believes are racist, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ policies.
RNC 2024. (Photo provided by the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024)
The coalition has prioritized safety since it began organizing the march, and members “remain committed to holding a family friendly march on Monday,” said Alan Chavoya, finance co-chair of the Coalition to March.
“We still anticipate a large crowd,” Chavoya added.
Here are some tips and resources to keep in mind while marching, protesting, demonstrating, attending or simply bystanding at the RNC.
Know your rights
“It is important to know your rights and to show that you know your rights,” said R. Timothy Muth, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union, or ACLU, of Wisconsin.
“Your rights to free speech are not suspended by the fact that we have a convention in the City of Milwaukee,” Muth said.
People also have the First Amendment right to record in public spaces and record police activity, Muth said.
People with past criminal convictions are also allowed to exercise their protest rights.
A federal judge last week struck down a part of the city’s special event ordinance, which denied all rights to demonstrate to those with prior criminal convictions, said David Gwidt, deputy communications director for the ACLU of Wisconsin.
“This is a significant win for guaranteeing the First Amendment rights of system-impacted folks,” Gwidt said.
De-escalation is key
The Coalition to March seeks to avoid conflict with law enforcement and groups that may be at the RNC, Chavoya said.
One basic thing to remember to promote de-escalation, Muth said, is to follow orders and instructions of police.
People must be quite careful even when they believe the police are acting unlawfully.
Imagine that “your friend is being illegally arrested, and what you try to do is pull the police officer away from your friend as they’re trying to put handcuffs on them – that will get you arrested,” Muth said. “You would be arrested for obstruction, and you will be guilty.”
“Better to film it on your phone,” Muth added.
Police must also de-escalate
De-escalating also is the responsibility of police, Muth emphasized.
“It is when police start moving in with use of force that things tend to spiral out of control,” he said. “We hope that the Milwaukee Police Department – and the 75 to 80 outside law enforcement agencies that are going to be working under the command of MPD – have learned those lessons from prior protests and demonstrations, in the past four or five years.”
In an open letter, the ACLU reminded law enforcement agencies at the RNC of their peace-keeping obligations.
Public safety is never served when people are harmed, unnecessarily arrested or lose confidence in law enforcement, the letter stated.
MPD did not respond to requests for comment about specific de-escalation strategies it plans to implement at the RNC.
The administration of Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson is confident MPD will use de-escalation tactics and other appropriate, peaceful methods for resolving tense situations, said Jeff Fleming, director of communications for the Mayor’s Office.
“The Milwaukee police have extensive experience in peacefully resolving tense situations. … They’ve done it successfully in numerous situations that get no publicity at all,” said Fleming.
Where to find resources
The Coalition to March has provided information about how to participate in the march, taking place on Monday, July 15, the first day of the RNC.
The Milwaukee chapter of the National Lawyers Guild is maintaining a hotline number for RNC protesters to call to get connected to legal support. That number is (414) 882-4654.
The Milwaukee Freedom Fund, an organization that supports protesters in various ways year round, has a form available to fill out for those seeking bail support.
The ACLU provides a guide to protest rights.
Devin Blake is the criminal justice reporter for the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. His position is funded by the Public Welfare Foundation, which plays no role in editorial decisions in the NNS newsroom.
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