PHILADELPHIA (AP) – As Cleveland breathes a sigh of relief after protests during the Republican convention came and went without mass disruptions and violence, eyes now turn to Philadelphia, the nation’s fifth largest city that offers a bigger stage for bigger protests over a much larger area.
Cleveland’s marches and rallies ended quietly Thursday with two dozen arrests over four days. Philadelphia is cautiously optimistic its Democratic National Convention can follow in those footsteps while letting protesters have their say.
“Obviously the destruction of property or hurting someone is a non-starter, but you can be as angry and loud as you want to be,” Mayor Jim Kenney said.
Several factors could make Philadelphia’s protests vastly different than those in Cleveland, including the city’s sprawling protest sites, from downtown to the convention site four miles away, and the sheer number of protesters expected, estimated at 50,000 each day.
Kenney wouldn’t say how many officers will be on the streets during the protests, but said the city’s “exemplary” police force is ready.