Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Sunday called on pro-Palestinian protesters to compare the policies of the two parties’ leading candidates before launching an all-out attack on Vice President Harris at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week.
In an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” Chris Styrewalt asked whether protesting at the DNC risked “deviating support within the party for their cause rather than increasing it.”
“I think what’s important right now is to understand that there are only two options for the president of the United States,” Johnson told Styewalt. “It’s either former President Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris. I’m going to look at their policies and where they stand on addressing this issue. Democrats want a lasting peace between Israel and Gaza. They’re working to make sure that humanitarian aid is provided to the Palestinians.”
Johnson urged Democratic protesters to consider other options before targeting Harris.
“So I encourage all those who are speaking out and protesting to end the suffering to make sure they take a look at the policies and the direction that these two presidential candidates are putting forward for the American people.
Johnson, whose city in Wisconsin hosted the Republican National Convention last month, defended the right to protest and urged authorities to work with protest organizers to ensure the demonstrations do not cause damage or disruption in the city.
“At least in our experience in Milwaukee, we tried to work with organizers as much as we could. The First Amendment gives individuals the right to protest not only the government but also candidates for high office, so we worked to ensure there was a space in Milwaukee for them to do just that,” Johnson said.
“So we designated a protest zone with a platform with amplified sound within sight and hearing of the convention center, and we also had a parade route that people could use,” he continued, adding, “We worked with everybody from the Secret Service to the police department to the protesters and demonstrators to make sure they were heard and that they were safe.”
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