CLEVELAND — A largely peaceful series of demonstrations weaved throughout a barricaded downtown on the opening day of the Republican National Convention Monday, where police kept a watchful eye but granted great leeway to protesters, some of whom waved banners and cartoon likenesses of presumptive nominee Donald Trump.
Authorities reported no major clashes in the city, where concerns about growing national unrest and law enforcement readiness have shadowed convention preparations for months.
While the city's major designated demonstration sites — the central Public Square, the distant Lorain-Carnegie Bridge and a downtown plaza — were buzzing, the number of protesters fell far short of initial expectations. But there was plenty to observe: delegates who were lined up to enter the arena in the morning were met with a wide range of sights, from a man selling Donald Trump condoms to signs telling them not to believe the "liberal media."?
The largest protest group appeared to be the Coalition to Stop Trump, which mustered between 200 and 300 people, a fraction of the "thousands'' that organizers were predicting just days ago.
An amalgam of immigrant rights supporters, members of the Black Lives Matter movement and Muslim rights advocates, the group rallied and then marched throughout downtown, shouting anti-Trump slogans and waving banners, as a large police bicycle patrol guided them at a distance.
"We are building momentum against a bigoted Trump,'' organizer Mick Kelly said, while acknowledging that the group's numbers were less than initially predicted. "This was the family-friendly and peaceful gathering that we planned.''
Whatever the group lacked in numbers, it made up for in noise and a commitment to airing its many grievances.
"We're not going to stop what happens in the convention hall,'' said Tom Moore, 24, of Massachusetts, who who carried a hand-printed cardboard sign bearing the slogan, 'Grand Old Party, Same Old Klan.'
"But we have make it clear that Donald Trump and the GOP stand for the kind of hate that this country has been dealing with for too long,'' said the recent Cornell University religion graduate. "It's time to fight back.''
Shortly before 6 p.m., a group of 10 men describing themselves of the West Ohio Minutemen walked through the streets downtown openly carrying rifles and pistols, which is legal.
The men said they were there solely to exercise their Second Amendment rights. They were met with a mix of curiosity, caution and a bit of disdain from passersby. Several police officers calmly chatted with group members, urging them to "be safe." Group members wished the same back to the police and the dozens of reporters who swarmed them as they walked the streets and then rested briefly in the shade.
"To be honest, we did not expect this kind of media attention," said minuteman Bryon Hennon, 37, a contractor from, Lima, Ohio, who was carrying a loaded 9 mm carbine. "There's a lot of demonization going around about people carrying guns and guns in general, and not everybody who open carries ... has an evil agenda. You don't have to be afraid. It's part of our society. It's always going to be part of our society."
One RNC-related arrested was reported Monday morning, involving a local man who pleaded not guilty to a petty theft charge after allegedly attempting to lift a gas mask from a Ohio state trooper. Police Chief Calvin Williams said Monday that the man may be suffering from an undisclosed mental illness.
A woman was arrested near the speakers' podium Monday afternoon, which Williams said involved a suspect who had been sought on felony warrants unrelated to the convention. He said no incidents occurred on the first day of the convention, during his daily 7 p.m. news briefing.
"So far so good," Williams said. "A lot of people were exercising their constitutional rights."
Bracing for a potential flood of protest-related arrests, the Cleveland Municipal Court had cleared its docket this week and had scheduled an afternoon arraignment session that was ultimately unnecessary.
"There was nobody to arraign,'' courts spokesman Ed Ferenc said.
Seen around #RNCinCLE
In the ]5th Street Arcade, artist Sandie Buffie showed off a bust of Donald Trump she sculpted out of dryer lint and glue. She hopes to auction it off to raise money for a local art program, and the bid reached $1,000 as of noon.
"I don't want to invite any anger or trouble. It's a whimsical representation of the presidential candidate," she said. "I'd love for (comedian Stephen) Colbert to walk by and say 'What? I have to have that.'"
Willard Manning, 75, of West Monroe, Louisiana, drove 1,000 miles in his Prius over three days to get to Cleveland, with bumper stickers on his car that say "Sinner Repent" and one listing the 10 Commandments.
Why he's here: "I serve God, so I go around the country. I'm not into politics that much, but I know Democrats support abortion. And I can't support abortion."
Why Trump: "He'll surround himself with good conservative Christians."
Daniel Howell of Vidalia, Georgia, drove all night with two friends to get to Cleveland and said he's been impressed with how the city has opened its arms for the convention. He said he's noticed a feeling of camaraderie and had yet to see any confrontations.
"I've been a Trump supporter since the beginning, and he might not be perfect, but he's the best case scenario," he said. "Globalism is not the answer."
Delegates waiting to get into Quicken Loans Arena at East 4th Avenue and Prospect Avenue East stood beside chalk writing demanding justice for Philando Castile, a 32-year-old black man who was fatally shot by police in St. Anthony, Minnesota, during a July 6 traffic stop.
Dan Johnson was walking down South Roadway when he ran into the last people he wanted to see.
Donald Trump protesters.
Stand Together Against Trump blocked his way as people marched through Public Square. Traveling from Akron, Johnson was on his way to a Trump rally hosted by Alex Jones when he was stopped from crossing the street. As the protesters walked by, he yelled his "Top 5 Reasons to Elect Trump:"
1) "He'll close the borders."
2) "He'll stop ISIS."
3) "He'll stop Hillary."
4) "Obama's a terrible president."
5) "America has had seven years of economic stagnation under Obama.
For those in the market for convention and Trump souvenirs, vendors lined several streets to sell everything from T-shirts to Bobbleheads and buttons. Some touted the presumptive Republican nominee, while others took shots at his Democratic contender.
Contributing: Natalie DiBlasio, Tolly Taylor, Patrick Martin, Michelle Martinelli, Rodney White and Jack Gruber.
