Milwaukee has a Democratic mayor. Additionally, the Republican National Convention in 2024 will take place there from July 15–July 18, 2024.
Is it surprising that the city selected a location less than a quarter mile from the Fiserv Forum, where hundreds of protestors would have a good opportunity to get up close and personal with GOP delegates attending the event?
Republicans, understandably, are incensed and have written to the Secret Service requesting that they relocate the demonstrators.
A Republican Party lawyer wrote that the area in question, a one-block city park, should be deemed “dangerous because thousands of convention attendees will be forced to walk by the park en route to the festivities,” as per the Washington Post, which was able to obtain a copy of the letter.
To reach the Fiserv Forum, convention attendees will need to traverse the park between two major thoroughfares. In other words, it is a pleasant, practical hamster wheel for delegates to navigate.
“This will compel thousands of protestors and attendees to remain in extremely close, constant, and inescapable contact with one another, even though they may otherwise prefer to avoid or restrict direct, proximal engagement with one another.” Forcible proximity heightens tensions between peaceful attendees and demonstrators of different ideologies, as recent conflicts on college and university campuses have demonstrated. This raises the possibility of an escalation to verbal or even physical clashes and subsequent law enforcement intervention, according to attorney Todd Steggerda of McGuireWoods.
Rather, the Republican-led administration wants the Secret Service to incorporate Pere Marquette Park into its security perimeter, which would compel the city to choose a new location for its “First Amendment Zone.” Pere Marquette is the largest park adjacent to the arena. “According to an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation, the RNC has suggested creating an additional park across the river from the arena near City Hall in order to hold private discussions.”The RNC asked lower-level Secret Service officers to modify the plan, but Steggerda pointed out in the letter that “this fundamental weakness remains unaddressed.” The RNC is requesting a meeting to resolve the matter, and it is taking the disagreement to the head of the Secret Service by delivering the letter.”
Is it true that Joe Biden’s Secret Service refused to modify the security perimeter to address Republican concerns about safety? Consider that.
It is amazing. On its website, the city of Milwaukee states that they would put up a stage “with adequate room, audio equipment, and a podium a short distance from Fiserv Forum.”
They are pushing for disruptive behavior.
The notification on the city’s website says, “Register here for the official Demonstration Speakers Platform and Parade Route, both within sight and sound access of the Republican National Convention.”
“Secret Service representatives have informed city officials that they do not want to engage in a political struggle, according to another source familiar with the conversations who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations. It was not my intention to offend the Republicans with this. This was also the location of the Democratic protest space for 2020,” the individual stated.
In this situation, things could quickly get pretty unpleasant. In order to prevent demonstrators from intimidating delegates, the Secret Service must intervene.
Author: Steven Sinclaire
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