MILWAUKEE — The Coalition to March on the RNC rallied in Milwaukee Saturday, after leaders say they still haven’t received permits to march on the Republican National Convention in July.
In response, the group joined with the American Civil Liberties Union to file a lawsuit against the city last week.
“We have a First Amendment right to have a protest, and we plan on exercising that right,” said Aurelia Ceja, co-chair for the Coalition to March on the RNC.
Ceja said the group has been applying for the permit to march on the RNC for over a year now, but said the city has made things difficult.
“The city has changed that process multiple times, made us jump through a lot of hoops, still for radio silence from them on actually obtaining a permit,” Ceja said.
Saturday’s rally saw several organizations joining the group in their call for a permit, including the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.
“There’s definitely reasons why we’re facing repression in the permit process and being more visible within sight and sound of the RNC,” said Lo Cross, one of the co-chairs. “The only way that we can highlight that contradiction is through trying to push for a march and doing what we’re doing today.”
The Coalition to March on the RNC said a recent ordinance passed by the city regarding protesting during the convention violates their First Amendment rights. They said the ordinance restricts where they can rally and march.
While there is no designated parade zone or protest route yet, the coalition said the ordinance prevents them from being within sight or earshot of Fiserv Forum.
“Next month, we are marching within sight and sound of the Fiserv Forum,” Ceja said. “No matter what, we are going to make our demands heard loud and clear.”
Chief among the messages they want to be heard in their protest in July is that they disagree with what they call “the Republican agenda.”
“Especially with the recent comments by President Trump calling Milwaukee a horrible city, we want to show that it’s not a horrible city,” said Blake Jones, co-chair of the Outreach Committee for the Coalition to March on the RNC.
The coalition and attorneys for the City of Milwaukee will go before a mediator on Monday to try to settle the issue.
Coalition leaders said they’ll be protesting near Fiserv Forum, with or without a permit.
In a statement last week, a spokesperson for Mayor Cavalier Johnson said, “Milwaukee takes seriously its responsibility to provide an opportunity for people to express their opinions. The city is also focused on safety for all the people in and around the upcoming convention. We are working to maximize both priorities.”