Protesters vowed Wednesday they will speak out against Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention this month despite pushback from a federal judge the former president appointed, according to a new report.
The Coalition to March on the RNC made this declaration outside the Wisconsin courthouse where they and the American Civil Liberties Union are challenging Milwaukee's restrictions on their demonstration, Courthouse News Service reports.
“We will be marching that route whether we get a permit or not,” Omar Flores reportedly told a crowd of reporters.
The coalition leader expects about 5,000 people to march with him, according to the report.
The coalition is fighting for the right to protest where convention attendees can see and hear them in opposition to a security plan the ACLU argues conceded too much to the Republican National Committee.
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“We were surprised and disappointed to see how many blocks of Downtown Milwaukee the Secret Service has declared off limits to anyone but convention attendees," said Tim Muth, staff attorney for the ACLU of Wisconsin.
"The large size of this zone makes it more critical than ever that the City take steps to allow for effective opportunities for expression and assembly by those with differing viewpoints."
U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig — a Trump appointee — saw his Milwaukee courthouse packed Wednesday as the coalition defended its First Amendment right to protest.
“I think that’s wrong,” Ludwig reportedly said. He argued the First Amendment does not protect the right to speak directly to those "they want to hector.”
Tensions have been mounting in the populous swing state city after news spread that Trump had called Milwaukee a "horrible city" in a closed-door meeting with Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson had a succinct response.
"Trump wants to talk about things that he thinks are horrible," Johnson said. "All of us lived through his presidency so, right back at you, buddy."
