Republican National Convention Day 1: Protests and proclamations

MILWAUKEE – While former United States President Donald J. Trump was receiving an overwhelming nod from the Republican National Committee during the official roll call of the states and his vice president selection, Republican Senator J.D. Vance (Ohio) earned a unanimous nomination from the party hundreds of protesters filled Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee.

Located just two miles from Fiserv Forum where the Republican National Convention began the first day of a four-day quadrennial celebration of Republican politics and ideals, the protest was hosted by the Coalition to March on the RNC. Over 100 organizations signed up to attend and speak during the rally, according to Coalition leaders.

Chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go” rang out during the anti-Trump, anti-establishment rally. The organizations plan to gather again during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, according to a number of organization spokesmen.

The spokesperson for the Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America, Dominick Williams, took a moment to address Trump’s comments about Milwaukee being an “awful city” by saying, “He called this a horrible city, but many of our ancestors called this the good land. We believe in the power of people.”

Alongside Williams and the Democratic Socialists of America were speakers from the New Orleans Students for Democratic Society, the Youth Democratic Socialists of America, the Homegrown Organizing Committee, the Denver Anti-War Action, American Party of Labor, which was one of several pro-union organizations in Milwaukee on Monday, the Milwaukee League of Anarchists, Detroit Anti-War Committee, a student-led organization at Wayne State University, the Freedom Socialists Party, and the Green Party of Greater Milwaukee.

There were also pro-Trump and anti-Black Lives Matter supporters at the park during the rally. One man that wasn’t a part of either group, but was pro-Trump was Albany, Georgia resident Billy Pollard, who was selling Trump bumper stickers for a dollar across the street from the park. Pollard, 62, drove to Milwaukee from Georgia to support the former president. He said he voted for Trump twice and was planning to do so again in November.

“Donald Trump brings me here because he’s a great man that keeps his word,” said Pollard who wore one of his Trump bumper stickers on the front of his navy blue t-shirt. when asked why he was in Milwaukee on Monday. “Promises made, promises kept. He gets things done and he gets them done fast.”

Notes:

There was also a protest march that took place outside of Fiserv Arena.

It was made official today that Robert Kennedy F. Kennedy, Jr. and Trump will receive increased United States Secret Service protection going forward. This follows the incident that took place in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

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