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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
(about 4 hours 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. But amid the twin national reckonings over police violence and violence against the police, officers here seemed determined to avoid provoking those who gathered. Though the police presence was felt at every turn, where uniformed officers often waited on rows of bicycles, they intervened in the protests sparingly, to enforce security perimeters or, in a handful of instances, to separate protesters and counterprotesters.
Subgroups drawn to the rally included Bikers for Trump, Truckers for Trump and Students for Trump. “It’s a little scary,” Kim Moran, the wife of an Illinois delegate, said as she recorded a video of an anti-Trump rally. “There’s just a lot of hate going on.”
“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.’ Yet for most of the day, rival demonstrators appeared to have achieved a relative peace, however fleeting it might prove.
Soon, Roger J. Stone Jr., a longtime Trump confidant and a former Nixon administration worker, regaled the crowd with attacks on Hillary Clinton. The proceedings began around noon, when about 200 Trump supporters gathered in a park for an “America First” rally, hauling lawn chairs and, occasionally, carrying 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.
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!” “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, regaled the crowd with attacks on Hillary Clinton.
Meeting at a public square less than a mile away, hundreds of anti-Trump protesters marched through downtown Cleveland, hoping to move as close as possible to the Quicken Loans Arena, the site of the convention. When they arrived at the low concrete barriers outside the arena, 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. 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 the protesters 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. The officers, like urban cattle wranglers, steered the marchers along a row of downtown restaurants.
“It’s a little scary,” Ms. Moran, the wife of an Illinois delegate, said. “There’s just a lot of hate going on.” Bryan Hambley, a Cleveland doctor who is organizing a protest march against Mr. Trump planned later this week, said the news media had exaggerated the potential for violence and chaos.
Yet, through Monday afternoon, rival demonstrators appeared to have achieved a relative peace, at least so far. “The Trump supporters are having their rallies across town,” he said as the first anti-Trump gathering began. “They didn’t send any counterprotesters here.”
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. He added, “We didn’t send counterprotesters to antagonize them.”
“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 times, officers positioned themselves between small groups of anti-Trump protesters and counterprotesters as the dueling groups exchanged insults.
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 on Sunday in Baton Rouge, La., promised to cast a pall over the first day. 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 had been mostly tame.
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 beginning, the slate of protests on Monday produced a measure of tumult.
But with the convention officially kicking off, the slate of protests on Monday produced at least a measure of tumult. Around 3 p.m., the band Prophets of Rage, which includes veterans of Rage Against the Machine, highlighted a second anti-Trump march, which later joined with an antipoverty march.
Demonstrations planned for later Monday included a march highlighting economic inequality and another to oppose Mr. Trump. “Thank you for coming out today with your joy and your militancy,” Tom Morello, a guitarist with the group, told the crowd.
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. His hat bore a message: “Make America Rage Again.”
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. While organizers had expected thousands of people at the antipoverty march, the total was closer to a few hundred, shouting slogans like “Cleveland means we got to fight back” and “they think it’s a game, they think it’s a joke.”
“Our officers are told to be especially cautious,” Chief Williams added. Some demonstrators expressed mixed feelings about the conspicuous police presence.
At the pro-Trump rally, officers stood guard astride bicycles, keeping watch at the edge of the park. Rodrigo Starz, part of the hip-hop duo Rebel Diaz, surmised that there were “more police than people,” calling the officers’ approach menacing and unnecessary.
Christopher Cox, the founder of Bikers for Trump 2016, said his group stood ready to “work in conjunction with police” if needed. But, he said, he was grateful that the march had been peaceful.
Still, some attendees seemed a bit skittish about their own security, wondering aloud about the state’s open-carry designation. The attack in Baton Rouge on Sunday had prompted urgent calls from one local police union to restrict 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.
One supporter, John Nadler, 63, said he feared his Trump apparel made him a target. Calvin D. Williams, Cleveland’s chief of police, told reporters on Monday that the shooting in Baton Rouge had not altered the city’s security plans. After five officers in Dallas were killed this month, the police here began dispatching patrol cars with at least two officers at a time.
“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?” “Our officers are told to be especially cautious,” Chief Williams said.
At another briefing in the early evening, Chief Williams said one person had been arrested on Monday, a woman with a felony warrant. He did not say what the warrant was for.
He said officers had confiscated several items, including a small knife, gas masks and a slingshot.
Still, some attendees seemed a bit skittish about their security, wondering aloud about the state’s open-carry designation.
One Trump 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 Mrs. Clinton lives. “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?”