For those not following the Republican National Convention, the first day of the week-long event went by without a hitch, filled with quiet protests by hundreds of people and slower-than-expected business at local bars and restaurants.
Despite the scorching heat, many were pleased or relieved by the relatively calm day outside the convention perimeter.
Just a few blocks east of the Fiserv Forum at Village Church, Milwaukee native and church member Bill Koehn, 73, said security is a major topic of conversation at Sunday services at the church.
Koehn said he was “OK” with holding the convention in Milwaukee, given the expected economic benefits and how it highlights the City of Milwaukee “in a way that rarely happens.”
However, there were fewer customers than expected at many nearby businesses on Monday. Many staffers said they hoped traffic would improve as the week progressed.
Heather Jordan, a delegate from Florida, flew into Milwaukee yesterday. She said attendees were still adjusting to traffic, parking and security, but spirits were high.
“We are currently increasing security, and I personally welcome this,” Jordan said.
Although there were heated demonstrations, the protest zone was relatively calm.
The two protest zones designated for the convention were largely calm throughout the day, although there were some tense moments between protesters and counter-protesters.
Zeidler Union Square, one of two city-designated protest zones, was empty for most of Monday, except for a few dozen security staff.
Dog walkers outnumbered protesters, a security official said in the afternoon. A small group of about 15 people had been in the park earlier in the day.
The day included a protest by about 500 people opposing the Republican Party platform, which advocates for topics such as LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, abortion rights and opposing the Israel-Hamas war.
The number of protesters who showed up for the Coalition to March on the RNC was about a fifth to a tenth of what organizers had initially anticipated.
By evening, only a few demonstrators remained around the convention grounds. About six members of the anti-abortion group Live Action stood at the corner of West Juneau Avenue and North Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, chanting as convention attendees filed out of the security perimeter around 10 p.m.
Anastasia Rogers, 31, of San Francisco said the group planned to leave Milwaukee on Tuesday.
“We knew that today was the day they were going to make a decision about the new platform, so we wanted to be here,” he said.
Restaurants and bars mostly reported sluggish business
As evening approaches, the streets are mostly deserted along the riverfront and along Broadway Avenue in the Third Ward.
Some businesses in the neighborhood said they were hoping for a boost in business from the convention, but that hasn’t materialized. Employees at several restaurants said factors beyond the RNC — an early workday, humidity and rain — could have played a role in reducing attendance.
At Cafe Benelux, an employee said the number of visitors was “significantly” lower than a normal Monday night.
At the Milwaukee Public Market, the stools at the Tiki Bar were mostly filled. An employee said traffic was about what he expected.
City Social employee Jeloni Woulard also said business was normal on Monday. He said he expected an increase in business but stressed that it was only the first day.
Wicked Hop manager Dominic Reed said business was “much” slower than usual.
“We’ll just have to wait and see,” he said.
