Milwaukee braces for Donald Trump and 50,000 visitors

The Republican National Convention was always going to be a high-security event.

The convention, which opens Monday and is expected to draw over 50,000 attendees, is now under even closer scrutiny after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend at a campaign rally.

The US Secret Service, in coordination with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, on Sunday reaffirmed the robust security plans. Key venues such as the Fiserv Forum, Panther Arena, and the Baird Center are focal points of an extensive security cordon. Stricter measures including vehicle checkpoints, pedestrian restrictions, and limitations on public transit have also been created to safeguard the four-day event. Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman emphasised the city's readiness at a press briefing on Sunday. "I just want to reassure not only our greater community, those involved at the convention, but also our city, we got this."


Protesters mobilise
Businesses in the vicinity were already bracing for a variety of protests. The Coalition to March on the RNC, comprising dozens of different groups, had announced large-scale demonstrations to voice opposition to Republican policies, support for issues ranging from LGBTQ+ rights to immigration and to protest the Israel-Hamas war.