ERR in Milwaukee: Republican convention delegates voice security concerns

Thousands of police officers from across the United States have gathered in Milwaukee to provide additional security for the ongoing Republican National Convention, in the wake of Saturday's assassination attempt on presumed candidate and former president Donald Trump.
ERR's North America correspondent Laura Kalam was in Milwaukee and spoke to attendees.
The recent attack has highlighted several security risks which need to be addressed, Kalam reported. Some days ago, President Joe Biden ordered the Secret Service to provide protection for a third candidate, the independent Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose own father, a senator and Democratic primaries candidate, was assassinated in Los Angeles in June 1968.
The ramped-up security does not seem to have impressed many Republicans, however.
Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani said: "You're going to tell me in this country there aren't a fair number of people that want to kill Kennedy. And you, Biden, sit by, and do nothing about it – you're personally dragged into the gutter to do it. What a terrible president."
Inevitably Saturday's shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania, which may well have taken Trump's life had he not moved his head at a critical moment, is the talk of the town in Milwaukee.
One Republican convention delegate from Texas, Trisha Hope, recalled hearing the news.
"I was in a restaurant having dinner, and we put everything down, left immediately and went to the hotel, and I was just in tears, I was very upset," she said.
Republicans have also expressed concern for his safety at the current convention.
Hope said: "I feel safe within these walls, but I will tell you outside of the security area, there are some grave concerns."
These concerns are not wholly without basis either, it seems. On Tuesday, a knife-wielding man was shot dead by out-of-state Ohio police, near the convention's security perimeter.
Another Texas delegate, Joanne Shofner, seemed more confident about security provisions so far.
She said: "The Republican convention has done an excellent job, and we thank Milwaukee too – they've done a great, great job, in order to keep us all safe."
Security measures remain strict. In addition to Tuesday's incident, on the opening day of the convention on Monday, a person armed with a machine gun was apprehended near the convention site, ERR reported.
Added tension has come from reports by U.S. media outlets that intelligence agencies have information suggesting that Iran had been planning an assassination attempt on Trump – though had nothing to do with the events of last Saturday.
Thomas Fugate, also attending the convention, remained doubtful about the efficacy of security agencies in the U.S., saying: "Our public service in America, that we pay millions and millions of dollars to and which has secured presidents like George Bush, even after 9/11 failed to secure him (ie. Trump – ed.) here – it blew my mind. It's an unbelievable security failure on every level."
Despite the continued uncertainty, Trump has been hailed as a hero by many of his supporters, and as someone who could restore a sense of security in the country.
Colorado delegate Greg Yielding told ERR: "Obviously his life is on the line, and he's not doing it for himself, only he's doing it for the country, to be elected, and to help the country."
Trisha Hope added: "President Trump has given everything for us, and he almost gave his life, and I was so happy to see him stand up and say 'fight' and that's exactly what we are going to do."
The original AK segment is here.
The two major parties hold national conventions usually in the summer ahead of the November presidential election, to vote on the nominees for president and vice president.
This year's Republican National Convention runs July 15-18, with Trump the sole candidate and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance his running mate candidate.
The Democratic National Convention will be in Chicago in a month's time.
The recent assassination attempt has attracted its fair share of the conspiracy theories often attendant upon such events, though in this case an added dimension is that theories have come from both ends of the suggested political spectrum.
So, some from the left of the spectrum have theorized that the attack was a set-up in order to get the winning photo op with the aim of ensuring a Trump victory in November. From the right, claims have been made that security was intentionally left lax and that only chance prevented that from playing out.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Merili Nael
Source: 'Aktuaalne kaamera,' reporter Laura Kalam.