'We Can Stand Together': Protesters Prep for Cleveland as RNC Nears

Cleveland, Ohio is preparing for what many expect to be a volatile Republican National Convention (RNC) on Monday, as protesters and supporters converge on the city and controversy around presumptive nominee Donald Trump and his divisive running mate, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, continues to build.

About 50,000 people are expected to take part in protests and rallies for the four days of the convention, from July 18-21. The Guardian reports that thousands of police officers, secret service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents “swarmed the downtown area throughout the weekend.”

As Common Dreams reported last week, officials are readying extra jail space and keeping courts open late “in case protesters are arrested en masse.”

Activists are rallying against Trump’s caustic rhetoric, now signature to his speeches, as well as the issues of police brutality and racism—particularly significant in Cleveland, where 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by officers in November 2014.

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In addition, activists plan to rally around the issue of housing. Community organizers say the poverty-stricken city has lost 17 percent of its residents due to predatory practices; in 2008, Trump pushed students of his for-profit education company Trump University to use similar schemes to target low-income communities. “Investors Nationwide are Making Millions in Foreclosures…AND SO CAN YOU!” read one advertisement from the real estate mogul.

Meanwhile, Trump’s fan base is also expected to make a showing. Due to Ohio’s “open carry” laws, many are expecting his supporters to be armed—which could further increase tensions.

“Should violence break out during protests in Cleveland, open-carry activists bearing long-gun rifles may distract officers, frighten demonstrators, or inadvertently endanger themselves,” CityLab said last week.