Why people gathered in Milwaukee to protest the 2024 RNC

Protesters assembled to rally and march in downtown Milwaukee to add their voices to the national political discussion centered on the 2024 Republican National Convention and the Trump-Vance ticket.

By Steven Potter | Here & Now

July 18, 2024 • Southeast Region

Frederica Freyberg:
Security was always planned to be tight around the convention and the assassination attempt on the eve of it only heightened awareness for the thousands of law enforcement from across the state and nation assigned to the city. Planned protests added to the mix. “Here & Now’s” Steven Potter has this report.

Protesters:
Got to fight back.

Chanter:
We got to do what?

Protesters:
We got to fight back.

Chanter:
We got to do what?

Protesters:
We got to fight back.

Man:
I came here to loudly and proudly oppose the racist and bigoted agenda of the Republican Party.

Steven Potter:
With thousands of delegates, attendees and guests arriving for the first day of the convention…

[protesters chanting]

…protesters also showed up in Milwaukee to denounce the Republican Party and its policies.

Ranay Blanford:
We’re being led down a dangerous path with the Republican Party. I’m concerned. I’m nervous. I’m a 20-year Army veteran, and I consider the direction that the — our Republican Party is going and, and particularly their nominee Trump is super dangerous and I consider him a bit of a traitor. You know, he’s out for himself. He’s not out for the citizens and that’s what we need.

Steven Potter:
As you can see, there are hundreds, even thousands of protesters here at the Republican National Convention. Many different groups are represented with many different reasons to protest.

Omar Flores:
We’re looking to defend immigrant rights. We’re looking to defend LGBTQ rights. We’re looking to defend reproductive rights as well. I mean, the list could really go on. And they have had attack on civil liberties, on civil rights for too many years now, and we’re here to oppose it.

Steven Potter:
Omar Flores is a lead organizer with the Coalition to March on the RNC. He says that despite the intense heat earlier this week, a wide range of protesters made their voices heard.

Omar Flores:
We’re seeing a lot of folks from the student movement, from the Palestinian movement, from the antiwar movement, and from the movement against police crimes.

Steven Potter:
Flores says that it was no small task to organize the protest, rally and march.

Omar Flores:
It takes a lot of time and a lot of very hard work and honestly, the city did not make it any easier up until recently. You know, we shouldn’t have had to file a lawsuit to get to where we are today.

Steven Potter:
Protest organizers filed a lawsuit in federal court to move their march route closer to where most of the convention activity will be held. They lost in court but came to an agreement with the city to march through downtown and within a block of the convention. Milwaukee resident Jackie Clark says attending the protest was a chance to express her right to free speech.

Jackie Clark:
That’s democracy. That’s America.

Steven Potter:
Another protester thought of the past and worried for the future.

Ray Dall’osto:
And I guess, it’s like the circle has turned and I don’t want the progress that we fought hard, both in our professions and as students and as demonstrators 50 years ago, to be undone. Why? Why?

Steven Potter:
While most who attended the protests were there to show their disgust with the Republican agenda, some counter-protesters also brought their megaphones to Red Arrow Park.

Man with bullhorn:
God can save you right here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Steven Potter:
And a handful of Trump supporters also showed up to watch. Milwaukee resident Phillip Reitz wasn’t impressed.

Phillip Reitz:
Well, it’s to be expected. It happens at every convention in every town.

Steven Potter:
Protest organizer Flores says he doesn’t expect Monday’s rally and march to sway any Republicans, but he still thinks protesting serves a purpose.

Omar Flores:
We don’t think that we’re going to be changing any minds, but we do know that we can put the pressure on and make it so politically inconvenient for them to continue with business as usual.

Steven Potter:
Reporting from downtown Milwaukee for “Here & Now,” I’m Steven Potter.

“I came here to loudly and proudly oppose the racist and bigoted agenda of the Republican Party,” declared one protester.

With thousands of delegates, attendees and guests arriving for the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention, protestors also showed up in Milwaukee to denounce the Republican Party and its policies.

“We’re being led down a dangerous path with the Republican Party,” said Ranay Blanford.

“I’m concerned, I’m nervous – I’m a 20-year Army veteran,” she said, “and I consider the direction our Republican Party is going and particularly their nominee Trump is super dangerous and I consider him a bit of a traitor. He’s out for himself, he’s not out for the citizens and that’s what we need.”

Ranay Blandord, a U.S. Army veteran, attended a protest outside the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. “I consider the direction our Republican Party is going and particularly their nominee Trump is super dangerous and I consider him a bit of a traitor,” Blanford said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

There were hundreds and maybe even thousands of protesters outside the Republican National Convention on its first day. There were many different groups represented — with many different reasons to protest.

“We’re looking to defend immigrant rights, we’re looking to defend LGBTQ rights, we’re looking to defend reproductive rights as well – the list could really go on,” said Omar Flores of the Coalition to March on the RNC. “They’ve attacked civil liberties and civil rights for too many years now, and we’re here to oppose it.”

Flores is a lead organizer with the coalition, and said that despite the intense heat, a wide range of protestors made their voices heard.

“We’re seeing a lot of folks from the student movement, from the Palestinian movement, from the anti-war movement and from the movement against police crimes,” he said.

Omar Flores speaks while standing under metal roofing outside with protesters standing and walking behind him.

Omar Flores, lead organizer with the Coalition to March on the RNC, spoke a protest outside the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. “We’re looking to defend immigrant rights, we’re looking to defend LGBTQ rights, we’re looking to defend reproductive rights as well – the list could really go on,” Flores said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Flores explained that it was no small task to organize the protest, rally and march.

“It takes a lot of time and a lot of very hard work and honestly, the city didn’t make it any easier up until recently – we shouldn’t have had to file a lawsuit to get to where we are today,” he said.

Protest organizers filed a lawsuit in federal court to move their march route closer to where most of the convention activity will be held. They lost in court but came to an agreement with the city to march through downtown and within a block of the convention.

Milwaukee resident Jackie Clark said attending the protest was a chance to express her right to free speech.

“That’s democracy, that’s America,” she said.

Jackie Clark speaks while standing outside with trees in the background.

Jackie Clark, a Milwaukee resident, joined the rally and march outside the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. “That’s democracy, that’s America,” Clark said when discussing freedom of speech. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

One protester thought of the past and worried for the future.

“I guess — it’s like the circle has turned,” Ray Dall’Osto said. “And I don’t want what we fought for in our professions, and as students and demonstrators 50 years ago to be undone. Why?”

Ray Dall’Osto attended a protest outside the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. “I don’t want what we fought for in our professions, and as students and demonstrators 50 years ago to be undone.” Dall’Osto said. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

While most who attended the protests were there to show their disgust with the Republican agenda, some counter-protesters also brought their megaphones to Red Arrow Park. A handful of Trump supporters also showed up to watch.

Milwaukee resident Phillip Reitz wasn’t impressed.

“It’s to be expected – it happens at every convention and in every town,” said Reitz, a Republican voter.

Phillip Reitz speaks while standing outside under a tree with a wood sign reading

Phillip Reitz, a Milwaukee resident and Donald Trump supporter, watched a rally outside the 2024 Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. “It’s to be expected – it happens at every convention and in every town,” Reitz said when describing the protests. (Credit: PBS Wisconsin)

Protest organizer Flores says he didn’t expect the July 18 rally and march to sway any Republicans. But he still thinks protesting serves a purpose.

“We don’t think we’re going to be changing any minds, but we do know we can put the pressure on and make it so politically inconvenient for them to continue with business as usual,” he said.