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| A Civil Start to Protests, but Cleveland Is Bracing for Worse | A Civil Start to Protests, but Cleveland Is Bracing for Worse |
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| CLEVELAND — The barricades were up and the police were ready, but the rowdy protests expected to descend this week on Cleveland for the Republican National Convention were contained to small pockets of unrest amid largely peaceful demonstrations across the city. | CLEVELAND — The barricades were up and the police were ready, but the rowdy protests expected to descend this week on Cleveland for the Republican National Convention were contained to small pockets of unrest amid largely peaceful demonstrations across the city. |
| At the height of the protests early Sunday evening, about 200 demonstrators marched down Euclid Avenue in the heart of downtown, stopping traffic and shouting, “No justice, no peace, no racist police!” as they neared Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention. The crowd, which was also directing its ire at Donald J. Trump, was circled by police officers in cars and on bicycles and horseback. | At the height of the protests early Sunday evening, about 200 demonstrators marched down Euclid Avenue in the heart of downtown, stopping traffic and shouting, “No justice, no peace, no racist police!” as they neared Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention. The crowd, which was also directing its ire at Donald J. Trump, was circled by police officers in cars and on bicycles and horseback. |
| Some protesters said they had been handled roughly by the police, and there were reports of people being detained. | |
| “They pushed us against the wall and said, ‘We are going to search your bags,’” said Cloud Kallisti, 43, of Akron. | “They pushed us against the wall and said, ‘We are going to search your bags,’” said Cloud Kallisti, 43, of Akron. |
| The protesters were animated by both Mr. Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee, and recent violence between the police and civilians. While some protesters spilled into the streets, there were few signs of the violence or mass arrests that the authorities had feared, giving the day a feeling of relative calm before a potential storm, with the convention beginning Monday. | The protesters were animated by both Mr. Trump, the presumptive presidential nominee, and recent violence between the police and civilians. While some protesters spilled into the streets, there were few signs of the violence or mass arrests that the authorities had feared, giving the day a feeling of relative calm before a potential storm, with the convention beginning Monday. |
| Some of the gatherings had an almost ceremonial feel. About 300 people arrived at Hope Memorial Bridge along the Cuyahoga River to silently hold hands for peace. Many wore T-shirts with the words “Stand for Love.” Ginny May-Schiros, 57, a middle school teacher, said she hoped the circle would invoke some calmness during a time of great division. | Some of the gatherings had an almost ceremonial feel. About 300 people arrived at Hope Memorial Bridge along the Cuyahoga River to silently hold hands for peace. Many wore T-shirts with the words “Stand for Love.” Ginny May-Schiros, 57, a middle school teacher, said she hoped the circle would invoke some calmness during a time of great division. |
| “I think it’s so easy to give into fear and hate,” said Ms. May-Schiros, of Lakewood, Ohio. “We need to come together and find solutions. There is a better way.” | “I think it’s so easy to give into fear and hate,” said Ms. May-Schiros, of Lakewood, Ohio. “We need to come together and find solutions. There is a better way.” |
| A supporter of Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, she said that she did not believe Mr. Trump would bring people with differing opinions together for the good of the country. | A supporter of Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, she said that she did not believe Mr. Trump would bring people with differing opinions together for the good of the country. |
| The tone was a bit more tense at a park in eastern Cleveland, where about 100 protesters remained relatively calm except for the occasional burst of profanity. The demonstrators carried signs proclaiming: “Shut Down Trump,” “Jail Racist Cops,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Jews Against Trump: #WeveSeenThisBefore.” They marched slowly toward the site of the convention. | The tone was a bit more tense at a park in eastern Cleveland, where about 100 protesters remained relatively calm except for the occasional burst of profanity. The demonstrators carried signs proclaiming: “Shut Down Trump,” “Jail Racist Cops,” “Black Lives Matter” and “Jews Against Trump: #WeveSeenThisBefore.” They marched slowly toward the site of the convention. |
| The coalition of protesters was broad, including some from Black Lives Matter, a pro-Palestine group and Code Pink, an all-female group whose members showed up wearing pink Statue of Liberty costumes. | The coalition of protesters was broad, including some from Black Lives Matter, a pro-Palestine group and Code Pink, an all-female group whose members showed up wearing pink Statue of Liberty costumes. |
| Marching alongside the protesters was a group of volunteers calling themselves the “Peace Team.” Dressed in bright yellow jerseys, they said they were around to keep the peace. | Marching alongside the protesters was a group of volunteers calling themselves the “Peace Team.” Dressed in bright yellow jerseys, they said they were around to keep the peace. |
| Despite the general civility on Sunday, the police are expecting the protests to intensify this week. City officials have devised plans to handle mass arrests, identifying jail facilities that could hold more than 975 people and planning to keep courts open for 20 hours daily to process cases. Hospitals have stockpiled medical supplies and prepared for convention-related emergencies. | Despite the general civility on Sunday, the police are expecting the protests to intensify this week. City officials have devised plans to handle mass arrests, identifying jail facilities that could hold more than 975 people and planning to keep courts open for 20 hours daily to process cases. Hospitals have stockpiled medical supplies and prepared for convention-related emergencies. |
| Cleveland is bringing in roughly 2,500 law enforcement officers from as far away as California, Florida and Texas to bolster its convention-dedicated force of about 500. It is also deploying a video unit to document crowd management and police activity. | Cleveland is bringing in roughly 2,500 law enforcement officers from as far away as California, Florida and Texas to bolster its convention-dedicated force of about 500. It is also deploying a video unit to document crowd management and police activity. |
| Calvin D. Williams, Cleveland’s police chief, said at a news conference on Sunday morning that the city could not be better prepared. | Calvin D. Williams, Cleveland’s police chief, said at a news conference on Sunday morning that the city could not be better prepared. |
| “We planned for almost anything and everything,” he said. “It’s game time,” he added. “We are ready for it.” |