Recent violence, Ohio’s open-carry laws spur GOP convention worries

By Yamiche Alcindor, New York Times News Service

Saturday, July 16, 2016 | 2 a.m.

The violence last week in Dallas is intensifying worries in Cleveland about visitors and protesters taking firearms downtown during the Republican National Convention, where thousands of people plan to demonstrate.

Ohio’s open-carry laws mean those who legally own guns can take them into the 1.7-square-mile area where many of the events and protests connected to the Republican convention will be next week. Beginning Sunday, demonstrators are expected to flood into the city, with a range of causes such as white supremacy and Palestinian rights.

“Obviously, everybody is on edge after Dallas,” Brian Kazy, a member of the Cleveland City Council and its Safety Committee, said in an interview.

Kazy said he had never been concerned about Ohio’s open-carry laws. But then Micah Johnson, a black sniper said to be determined to kill white police officers, went on a rampage in Texas, which also has open-carry laws.

“If you had some mass confusion, even if you had a civilian who was carrying who would attempt to help out, I think the mentality of any law enforcement officer would see an individual with a gun, would see an individual possibly shoot and would react to that,” Kazy said.

Cleveland officials are promising increased security during the Republican gathering, with resources from city, state and federal authorities. And within the convention area, the Secret Service will set up a smaller perimeter near Quicken Loans Arena that will have stricter security and prohibit guns. Delegates to the convention, for example, will not be able to take their guns onto the convention floor.

However, given the recent tumult around the country, some leaders are anxious that the environment could turn dangerous. One group made up of current and former service members called the Oath Keepers, who have shown up at other tense events heavily armed, say they again plan to carry weapons into Cleveland.

Stephen Loomis, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, said he strongly supported citizens’ rights to bear arms, but he is urging people not to take their guns anywhere near Cleveland’s downtown during the convention.

“The last thing in the world we need is anybody walking around here with AR-15s strapped to their back,” he said. “And the absolute tragedy in Dallas is proof positive that we just cannot allow that to happen. I would really just beg these folks, just leave your guns at home. Come, say whatever it is that you want to say, make whatever point it is that you want to make, but it’s going to be very, very difficult to deal with the RNC as it is.”

He added that officers already were in a “heightened state” because of the passions generated by the presumptive Republican nominee, Donald Trump, on both sides and the security challenges as thousands of delegates fill the city.

Eric Pucillo, vice president of Ohio Carry, a gun-rights group based in Kent, Ohio, said he understood Loomis’ concerns but stressed that people could not be legally prevented from carrying their guns downtown.

Convention planners and city officials emphasize that they are prepared for the Republican gathering and the crowds it will attract.

The Cleveland police chief said that while he’d prefer people not openly carry firearms during the Republican National Convention, state law allows for it and police will do everything possible to keep everyone safe.

“I’m bound to uphold the law in the state,” Chief Calvin Williams said during a media briefing Wednesday.

Dan Williams, a spokesman for Mayor Frank Jackson, declined to describe how Dallas had reshaped the Cleveland’s security plans.

“We are going to follow the law and the law is the law period,” the spokesman said. “We believe that we are prepared.”

Meanwhile, some plan to take their own security forces to Cleveland.

Tim Selaty, director of operations at Citizens for Trump, said his group was paying for private security to bolster the police presence. While Selaty said people should be allowed to carry guns, his group is banning long weapons from a rally in a park it is hosting Monday.

“We’re going to insist that they leave any long arms out for sure because we believe that will make sure our people are safer,” he said. “In other words, no AR-15s, no shotguns or sniper rifles — all of the things that you would think somebody would bring in to hurt a lot of people in a very short time.”

But, he said, he does generally believe civilians being armed make for a safer environment and that he “can’t blame” people who are scared because of Dallas and want to come to Cleveland armed.

“It’s every citizen’s right to be able to defend themselves and their family, and I believe that an open-carry society is a much politer society,” Selaty said.