Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson on Sunday urged pro-Palestinian protesters to compare the policies of both parties’ major candidates before launching a full-forced attack on Vice President Harris at the Democratic National Convention this week in Chicago.
In an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill Sunday,” Chris Stirewalt asked whether demonstrations at the convention could risk “alienating rather than encouraging support in your party for their cause.”
“I think that what’s important right now is to understand that there’s a binary choice for president of the United States right now,” Johnson told Stirewalt. “It’s either going to be the former president, Mr. Trump, or it’s going to be the vice president, Kamala Harris. And I would look at their policies and their standing as it relates to addressing this issue. The Democrats have called for a lasting peace in Israel and in Gaza. They are working to make sure that humanitarian relief is provided to Palestinians.”
Johnson encouraged Democratic protesters to consider the alternative before targeting Harris.
“So I would encourage, you know, folks who are protesting, letting their voice be heard because they want the suffering to end, to make sure you look at the policies and the directions that both of the candidates for president are laying out for the American people.”
Johnson, who leads the Wisconsin city that hosted the Republican National Convention last month, defended the right to protest and encouraged officials to work with protest organizers to ensure that the demonstrations do not damage or disrupt the city.
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“At least our experience in Milwaukee is that we tried to work as best we could with organizers. There’s a First Amendment right that individuals have to protest not just government, but the candidates for high office, and so we worked to make sure they had the space in Milwaukee to do just that,” Johnson said.
“So we set up a designated protest zone with a podium with amplified sound that was within sight and sound of the convention center itself. We organized a parade route that folks could utilize as well,” he continued, noting they tried to “work with everyone from the Secret Service to the police department and those protesters, the demonstrators, to make sure their voices could be heard and safety was accounted for.”
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