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| Peaceful, Dueling Protests So Far as G.O.P. Convention Begins | Peaceful, Dueling Protests So Far as G.O.P. Convention Begins |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| CLEVELAND — The start of the Republican National Convention on Monday instantly inspired dueling protests, with both supporters and critics of Donald J. Trump pressing their cases in neighboring demonstrations as Republicans strained to project party unity. | CLEVELAND — The start of the Republican National Convention on Monday instantly inspired dueling protests, with both supporters and critics of Donald J. Trump pressing their cases in neighboring demonstrations as Republicans strained to project party unity. |
| Around noon, about 200 Trump supporters gathered in a park for an “America First” rally, hauling lawn chairs and, occasionally, holstering firearms for an event intended to exhibit the breadth of Mr. Trump’s followers. | Around noon, about 200 Trump supporters gathered in a park for an “America First” rally, hauling lawn chairs and, occasionally, holstering firearms for an event intended to exhibit the breadth of Mr. Trump’s followers. |
| Subgroups drawn to the rally included Bikers for Trump, Truckers for Trump and Students for Trump. | Subgroups drawn to the rally included Bikers for Trump, Truckers for Trump and Students for Trump. |
| “He’s never said anything racist,” said Eric Smith, 36, who is black and was wearing a Trump T-shirt. “He means just to say, ‘Make America great again as itself.’ It’s like, ‘Build yourself up and then you can build up the people around you.’ ” | “He’s never said anything racist,” said Eric Smith, 36, who is black and was wearing a Trump T-shirt. “He means just to say, ‘Make America great again as itself.’ It’s like, ‘Build yourself up and then you can build up the people around you.’ ” |
| Soon, Roger J. Stone Jr., a longtime Trump confidant and a former Nixon administration worker, regaled the crowd with attacks on Hillary Clinton. | |
| At a public square less than a mile away, hundreds of anti-Trump protesters marched through downtown Cleveland, hoping to get as close as possible to Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention When they arrived at the low concrete barriers outside the convention venue, they chanted: “Shut it down!” | |
| After a few hesitant moments, people began climbing over the barriers. The police did not interfere. | After a few hesitant moments, people began climbing over the barriers. The police did not interfere. |
| As marchers approached the main security checkpoint for the convention grounds, where delegates pass through Secret Service screenings, a phalanx of officers on bicycles rode tire to tire, preventing them from reaching the inner security perimeter. | |
| “There are all kinds of different groups here for different reasons but we’re united to shut this down,” said Holly Counterpane, a protester from Chicago. “Nobody’s trying to hurt, get hurt or get arrested.” | “There are all kinds of different groups here for different reasons but we’re united to shut this down,” said Holly Counterpane, a protester from Chicago. “Nobody’s trying to hurt, get hurt or get arrested.” |
| As the officers, like urban cattle wranglers, steered the marchers along a row of downtown restaurants, an onlooker, Kim Moran, videotaped from the sidewalk. | As the officers, like urban cattle wranglers, steered the marchers along a row of downtown restaurants, an onlooker, Kim Moran, videotaped from the sidewalk. |
| “It’s a little scary,” Ms. Moran, the wife of an Illinois delegate, said. “There’s just a lot of hate going on.” | “It’s a little scary,” Ms. Moran, the wife of an Illinois delegate, said. “There’s just a lot of hate going on.” |
| Yet, through Monday afternoon, rival demonstrators appeared to have achieved a relative peace, at least so far. | |
| Bryan Hambley, a Cleveland doctor who organized a protest march against Mr. Trump later this week, said the news media had exaggerated the potential for violence and chaos. | |
| “The Trump supporters are having their rallies across town. They didn’t send any counterprotesters here,” he said as the first anti-Trump gathering began. “And we didn’t send counterprotesters to antagonize them.” | |
| At one point, officers positioned themselves between small groups of anti-Trump protesters and counterprotesters as they exchanged insults. | |
| Before the convention began, the shooting deaths of three police officers in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday promised to cast a pall over the proceedings. Mr. Trump has taken pains to present himself as the “law and order” candidate — the theme of Monday’s convention program is “Make America Safe Again” — and the campaign has made clear its plans to capitalize on the national sense of unrest. | Before the convention began, the shooting deaths of three police officers in Baton Rouge, La., on Sunday promised to cast a pall over the proceedings. Mr. Trump has taken pains to present himself as the “law and order” candidate — the theme of Monday’s convention program is “Make America Safe Again” — and the campaign has made clear its plans to capitalize on the national sense of unrest. |
| The smattering of demonstrations on Sunday was mostly tame. The police here said there had been just one arrest, after a man tried to take an officer’s gas mask. | The smattering of demonstrations on Sunday was mostly tame. The police here said there had been just one arrest, after a man tried to take an officer’s gas mask. |
| But with the convention officially kicking off, the slate of protests on Monday produced at least a measure of tumult. | But with the convention officially kicking off, the slate of protests on Monday produced at least a measure of tumult. |
| Demonstrations planned for later Monday included a march highlighting economic inequality and another to oppose Mr. Trump. | Demonstrations planned for later Monday included a march highlighting economic inequality and another to oppose Mr. Trump. |
| The mayhem in Baton Rouge also prompted urgent calls from one local police union to restrict the open-carry gun laws near the convention site. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican, said he could not legally intervene, given the state’s gun laws. The Cleveland mayor, Frank G. Jackson, a Democrat, agreed on Monday that the governor did not have the power to suspend the law. | The mayhem in Baton Rouge also prompted urgent calls from one local police union to restrict the open-carry gun laws near the convention site. Gov. John Kasich of Ohio, a Republican, said he could not legally intervene, given the state’s gun laws. The Cleveland mayor, Frank G. Jackson, a Democrat, agreed on Monday that the governor did not have the power to suspend the law. |
| Calvin D. Williams, Cleveland’s chief of police, told reporters on Monday that the weekend shootings in Baton Rouge had not altered the city’s security plans. After five officers in Dallas were killed earlier this month, the police here began dispatching patrol cars containing at least two officers at a time. | Calvin D. Williams, Cleveland’s chief of police, told reporters on Monday that the weekend shootings in Baton Rouge had not altered the city’s security plans. After five officers in Dallas were killed earlier this month, the police here began dispatching patrol cars containing at least two officers at a time. |
| “Our officers are told to be especially cautious,” Chief Williams added. | “Our officers are told to be especially cautious,” Chief Williams added. |
| At the pro-Trump rally, officers stood guard astride bicycles, keeping watch at the edge of the park. | At the pro-Trump rally, officers stood guard astride bicycles, keeping watch at the edge of the park. |
| Christopher Cox, the founder of Bikers for Trump 2016, said his group stood ready to “work in conjunction with police” if needed. | Christopher Cox, the founder of Bikers for Trump 2016, said his group stood ready to “work in conjunction with police” if needed. |
| Still, some attendees seemed a bit skittish about their own security, wondering aloud about the state’s open-carry designation. | Still, some attendees seemed a bit skittish about their own security, wondering aloud about the state’s open-carry designation. |
| One supporter, John Nadler, 63, said he feared his Trump apparel made him a target. | One supporter, John Nadler, 63, said he feared his Trump apparel made him a target. |
| “Even Governor Kasich said he’s not going to stop open carry,” said Mr. Nadler, one of the few Trump admirers from Chappaqua, N.Y., where Hillary and Bill Clinton live. “They got cops, I’m afraid they are going to get me. I got a Trump hat and a Trump T-shirt. Why not pick me off?” |