With fewer than two months to go until the GOP convention, Cleveland officials claim they’re prepared for any protests or disturbances.
The officials announced a number of temporary regulations for the upcoming Republican National Convention and reiterated that they will be ready for protesters.
“A lot has been said about whether or not Cleveland is prepared for the RNC in about 50 days here. I have to tell you, we are prepared,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. “I can’t stress enough that we are prepared for this.”
The city recently published bids for 100 sets of body armor and 11 conversion vans that could be used to transport prisoners or house furnished workspaces. That’s in addition to the city’s previous requests for 2,000 sets of riot gear, 10,000 sets of plastic handcuffs, eight sets of mounted night vision goggles, 15 motorcycles, and a horse trailer.
Richard Horvath, a city attorney, listed a host of items that would be prohibited from the convention zone downtown but did not explicitly mention guns. Included in his list of items that will be prohibited near the site of the convention are lumber, fireworks, explosives, drones, ice chests and coolers, and ladders, among many other items. He noted that exceptions will be made for nearby local businesses.
The Cleveland officials’ announcement comes the morning after Albuquerque, N.M., descended into chaos following a Donald Trump campaign event. Protesters threw rocks and bottles at police officers and their horses, and the protesters burned t-shirts. The building that housed Trump’s event had its windows damaged by unruly protesters outside.
If Cleveland law enforcement encounters similarly unruly protesters who do not intend to observe the city’s regulations, Williams claimed his officers will do what is necessary as determined on a case-by-case basis.
“If it’s a public safety issue, we’ll clear a roadway. If it’s not, then people are allowed to sit down and take it easy,” Williams said.
The GOP convention begins in Cleveland on July 18.
