WASHINGTON, May 28: The US city that would host the crucial Republican National Convention in July has reserved 200 beds at the jail anticipating protests during the mega meet that would officially nominate Donald Trump as the party’s presidential candidate, according to a media report.
Political protests during an election campaign, which is quite unusual to the US, has become a routine phenomenon at the campaign rallies of 69-year-old Trump.
At least two such protests have been reported in the last three days, with the one yesterday resulting in arrest of about a dozen people in San Diego, where police had to come in riot gears to control the situation as hundreds of pro and anti-Trump supporters clashed at the rally venue.
According to a local media outlet – Cleveland.Com – the city which would host the GOP convention in July, Cuyahoga County, will keep 200 beds open at the County Jail for those who may be arrested during the Republican National Convention.
The county is buying equipment, including body cameras and detectors for radiation, chemicals and gas, it said.
The county will be paid up to USD 250,000 by the city of Cleveland to house those arrested from July 16 through July 23, according to a proposal submitted to the county’s Board of Control, which meets on May 31.
“This agreement will allow Cuyahoga County to house ‘fresh arrests’ that are made by Cleveland Division of Police related to the RNC event,” the county’s department of public works wrote in its submission to the board, which approves contracts valued up to USD 500,000.
Given the series of violent protest that the Trump rallies have been experiencing, authorities said that the GOP convention in Cleveland is expected to have an unprecedented level of security, with both local and federal law enforcement agencies in full force to prevent any untoward incident.
Thousands of Republican leaders and members from across the country and hundreds of media from across the world are expected to attend the four-day convention in Cleveland.
The Democratic convention is scheduled for a week later in Philadelphia. But no such security measure has been reported by authorities so far.
The Democratic national convention would nominate its candidate for the November 8 presidential elections. (PTI)
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