Next month, Republicans will be able to carry guns just blocks from the site of the party’s national convention in Milwaukee under that city’s current concealed carry and open-carry laws.
“Just don’t do anything that could be considered a threat to our community. It will not, it will not be tolerated,” Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said at a Friday press conference laying out the security plan.
“We have the understanding and respect for those who are carrying concealed or carrying open carry. It’s about behaviors.”
When Milwaukee experienced its worst violence in 2022, homicides dropped 40% thanks to Norman.
But tensions persist after Milwaukee police recently shot two teenagers, including one whose unborn baby died. The situation unfolded during a pursuit with a car connected to two carjackings.
Over 100 people and groups have registered to demonstrate, but none have been denied permits so far, during a joint briefing with the Secret Service, Nick DeSiato said. Two designated speaker boxes will be installed inside the security perimeter for protest areas “within sight and sound” of the RNC.
In response to a question about prohibited items, DeSiato said the city must comply with the state Constitution that protects concealed and open carry.
“Constitution, we believe,” he said.
Pere Marquette Park is a declared protest zone and also an area of contention among protesters, the RNC and the Secret Service. The park has been encompassed by the hard security perimeter and will serve as an area of refuge for law enforcement, since it is near the convention venue, said Secret Service RNC Coordinator Audrey Gibson-Cicchino.
“Ensuring the safety and security of our delegates, guests, officials, members of the media, and the entire Milwaukee community while standing up for our First Amendment rights and liberties have always been topmost priorities for the Republican National Convention,” RNC spokesman Kush Desai said. “We look forward to continuing to collaborate closely with the US Secret Service as well as local law enforcement to ensure the best possible convention experience for everyone.”
Prior to the convention, Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) declared a state of emergency to ensure additional security measures and allowed the possibility of deployment of the Wisconsin National Guard.
