Secret Service Requested by GOP to Relocate Protesters from Convention Venue
TL/DR –
The Republican Party has sent a letter to the Secret Service requesting protesters to be kept further away from the venue of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The letter, signed by Todd R. Steggerda, counsel to the Republican National Committee, cautions that forcing convention attendees to pass by protesters could lead to confrontations. The party did not propose an alternate location for the protesters, but suggested an expansion of the security perimeter to keep protesters at a distance.
Republican Party Requests Increased Protester Distance at Milwaukee Convention
The Republican Party has urged the Secret Service to position protesters further from the Republican National Convention venue in Milwaukee in July, citing concerns of potential confrontations in a recent letter.
Todd R. Steggerda, counsel to the Republican National Committee, signed the three-page letter. He expressed concerns about the designated area for demonstrators and the potential escalation of tensions due to forced proximity with convention attendees. The letter highlights recent university campus incidents to underscore these concerns.
The Secret Service’s proposed security plan confines protesters to Pere Marquette Park, a public park roughly a quarter of a mile from the convention venue at Fiserv Forum. According to the letter, this placement forces convention attendees to pass by the protest area via the two main routes.
Steggerda argues that this arrangement may escalate, not diffuse, tensions. The Republican National Committee did not propose an alternative protest location but suggested that the Secret Service expands the security perimeter to relocate protesters further from the convention site.
Secret Service spokesperson Alexi Worley said the agency had yet to formally receive the letter but promised to respond through appropriate channels once it does. Worley emphasized that the security arrangements for such events involve collaboration between the Secret Service and other federal, state, local agencies and are approved by an executive steering committee.
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