Donald Trump still plans to attend the Republican National Convention after surviving an apparent assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on Saturday, adding to a tense lead-up to the event in the critical swing state of Wisconsin.
Curious about the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee? Here’s some background on the event.
Donald Trump, the prospective presidential nominee, reportedly called the city “horrible” last month.
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The convention, which runs Monday through Thursday at the Fiserv Forum and other venues, comes four years after the city “hosted” the 2020 Democratic National Convention — which went largely virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of Sunday morning, no major scheduling changes had been announced for the Republican convention after a crowd member, and later the suspected gunman, were killed at a Trump rally in Butler, Penn., on Saturday.
Here are a few things to know about what’s happening with the GOP convention in Milwaukee.
Controversy over guns being allowed within the “security footprint” of the RNC
Guns will not be allowed within the “hard” security zone around the convention, which requires credentials to access. But a Wisconsin state law prevented the city of Milwaukee from banning most firearms within a “security footprint” that surrounds the hard zone, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Local officials criticized the state law, saying it was not written with an event with the scale of the convention in mind.
Trump reportedly called Milwaukee a “horrible city”
During a private meeting with Republican House members in June, Trump reportedly described Milwaukee as a “horrible city,” according to various media accounts.
There were conflicting statements among House Republicans who attended the meeting over why Trump chose those words or whether he had said them at all. Some said Trump was referring to crime, while others said the comment focused on voter fraud.
Nevertheless, the comment set off a firestorm of reactions in a city that largely votes Democratic and a state that has swung both directions in the last two elections.
There was a court battle over convention protest zones
In June, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit with a group of protesters over where demonstrations would be allowed to take place during the convention.
For months, activists planned a protest march near the Fiserv Forum, the primary venue, on the convention’s first day. But that route would have crossed into a security zone that requires credentials to enter.
The suit alleged the city violated First Amendment rights by preventing demonstrations within the sight and sound of convention venues. But a federal court judge sided with the city and the U.S. Secret Service, saying legitimate security and logistical interests were preserved by keeping protests out of the security zone.
Restaurants and other venues have seen disappointing business
In recent months, a number of bars, restaurants and other event spaces in downtown Milwaukee reported few bookings — if any — for private events related to the convention, according to reports from the Journal Sentinel and the New York Times.
It’s been a disappointment for venue owners hoping to get a boost out of the convention, especially after the pandemic squandered any economic boost from the Democratic National Convention four years ago.
Downtown establishments told the Journal Sentinel in July they weren’t confident that locals and regulars would be there to fill the gap. Many Milwaukeeans have talked about fleeing the city or working from home during the convention.
Three Minnesota law enforcement agencies are sending officers
Around 4,000 law enforcement officers from around the U.S. are expected to assist Milwaukee authorities during the convention.
They include officers from the Bloomington and Rochester police department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office. According to Milwaukee police, those departments are sending officers and deputies to the convention, though the number wasn’t specified.
The incident was reported on the 3300 block of 3rd Avenue S.