7 Overnight Arrests Near RNC Zone

Mayor Cavalier Johnson addressed reporters early Thursday morning. Photo taken July 16, 2024 by Sophie Bolich.

Law enforcement officers arrested seven individuals in Downtown Milwaukee ahead of the final day of the Republican National Convention.

The arrests took place near the convention’s security perimeter, and were the result of three separate incidents, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at a press conference early Thursday morning.

“With respect to the convention, I was told that — again — it was a very uneventful evening,” he said, noting that the city’s performance as host of the RNC “has gone pretty smoothly.”

On Wednesday night, two people were taken into custody for fights that occurred just east of the Milwaukee River, Johnson said. Nearby, five additional individuals were apprehended for disorderly behavior outside of a bar.

Another incident involved a person who allegedly stole RNC tickets and attempted to sell them.

Convention-related arrests on Wednesday surpassed that of earlier days. On Sunday, two overnight arrests took place ahead of the RNC’s kickoff. Three were detained on Monday and one on Tuesday, according to Johnson.

“The convention itself has proceeded with relatively few security or safety concerns,” he said.

Of the 13 reported arrests connected to the RNC, only one took place during a protest — a result that Johnson attributes to collaborative efforts by law enforcement and security personnel.

“I want to give a lot of credit to the Milwaukee Police Department, to the Secret Service, to all our partners — but particularly Milwaukee police and our Office of Community Wellness and Safety” he said. “They have actively engaged with folks who sought to demonstrate here in Milwaukee, making the process easy. Our administration understands that it’s important for people to exercise their First Amendment rights.”

Protest organizers also took steps to avoid violent clashes and negate the need for police involvement.

Leaders of the Coalition to March on the RNC, which led a large-scale protest on Monday, told reporters that the group’s main intent was to carry out “a very peaceful, family-friendly march.”

“We wanted to come here to bring our message of peace,” said Danaka Katovich, national co-director of the anti-war organization CODEPINK.

Turnout for protests has also been much lower than expected — especially during the second and third days of the convention.

“Many of those who scheduled appearances did not show up,” Johnson said of the convention’s designated demonstration areas.

That trend, he said, continued throughout the week, with more than one in five protestors forgoing their scheduled appearances. “We estimate just about 15% of those who registered for their time slot indeed did show up.”

Thursday night will mark the conclusion of the four-day convention, with some of the Republican party’s most anticipated speakers set to take the stage.

That includes Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and retired professional wrestler Terry Gene Bollea — perhaps better known by his ring name, Hulk Hogan.