Just curious what predictions the folks from around Cleveland are for the convention and what plans they have in place if it goes hot.  Do the police even have a plan?  If rioting breaks out is there a plan to cordon off the area and stop the riot from spreading?  Do you personally anticipate trouble?  Have plans to bug out?  Defend in place?  Are you prepared?

I don't live in Cleveland, but if it were in Columbus I would not expect anything. If something did happen, Obama's sons might burn down their own 'hoods...nothing lost there. In the extremely unlikely event something worse happens, I'd be defending the homestead.

Although if the delegates become unbound and someone else gets nominated, watch out for whitey! Just kidding...white people don't burn down their neighborhoods. They just get really mad on Twitter and Facebook.

Shit is going to jump off.

Since it's the RNC, I predict the local police will be given stand down orders, and to let the city burn. Then, they will say this is the result of the rhetoric of the right, and what you'll expect to see nationwide if a republican wins.


Either way, Dan Gilbert's casino will make a fortune this week in Cleveland.

safe1 has already offered a place for people to escape to: http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_8_12/601621_My_Cleveland_area_friends___.html

I'm far enough away from downtown that I doubt anything will make it this far out.


For giggles, I took a little drive downtown to see what it was like tonight. It's already crazy - I can't imagine what it's going to be like for people trying to work downtown or that need to go downtown when the convention is in full swing:




















there were about 20 officers on bikes in this group

So are the protestors going to be inside the fenced area to keep them off the streets, or are they going to run rampant and the fence is for cops and the rich people to hide behind?

I have to work downtown all week.  The office did change the hours to 7am to 3 this week though to try to avoid the worst traffic.  Personally I don't think it is going to be as bad as most people and all the media hopes it will be.  I'm still being vigilant though.

Wait for shit to happen and respond if called.  Otherwise, I took off this week and hopefully can get a few projects done around the house.

So far, it looks like Cleveland is more prepared than I originally thought.  Of course, that could go out the window if the professional protesters want to get rowdy.  They need to keep a strong show of force and immediately arrest anyone for minor violations in order to keep the rest under control.

 
I'm on the near west-side. I'm hoping everything goes off without a hitch but if not we'll just have to react to whatever happens.  I am working from home this week. I think that the potential for trouble is greater downtown than in the neighborhoods but you never know what could happen.


Our go-bags have been beefed up compared to normal. We packed more clothes toiletries and etc to make any unplanned trip more comfortable. I also have places to stay east, south, and west of the city depending on what turns out to be the path of least resistance.  I know multiple ways out of town heading south and west on surface streets in case the highways are blocked/jammed.  Heading east would be more problematic due to having to either go through or around downtown but it can be done if need be.


"Hope for the best, prepare for the worst" right?

I was around during the Hough riots, nothing these BLM, trumpsters etc... and the other  assclowns outside the arena  will do would be a pittance of a pittance of that. so I am not concerned.

if anything they will just be a nuisance, blocking traffic and other assclownery like this

The only day I have to worry about is tomorrow when I'll be in Cleveland.  I should be far enough away from most of the excitement, but I will be vigilant and prepared nonetheless.  

Otherwise, I'll just stay at home and watch the activities unfold from afar.

I work about 10 minutes from downtown. I don't see anything reaching this far, let alone to where I live which is much further. With that said, I am carrying a bit more in my "get home bag/kit" this week than I typically do.





Overall, I'm not worried about Clevelanders, it's all the outsiders coming in.

 

Agreed...




 
 

No problem, It was good to see you!



 

I've been working down there the past three nights, and will be at least until Friday night.  The fence walls you see are mostly to allow vehicles through if things get congested.  Multiple agencies, and the National Guard have been stationed near fences to control traffic, and access points to buildings.  Some are inside, but almost all are outside.  There are about a million cops, mostly from Cleveland, on bikes during most of the day.  That's hyperbole, but there are a LOT of bicycle guys.  Supposedly, they have been invaluable in other cities.  There are also roving arrest patrols stretching out past W.25th street, and normal patrol answering regular calls.  OSP is pretty geared up, and other agencies have brought munitions, too.  Multiple SWAT units from the region are out on overwatch, and, of course, all of the Feds are lurking around the arena.

No real incidents, so far.  Will that change?  I'm sure it will.  They expect a rowdy crowd at the official "Prophets of Rage" event on Tuesday night, which is supposed to be sold-out.  The last two days also tend to be the most active, based on past RNCs.  Will it be armageddon?  I doubt it.  While we could always use more people, and there are restrictions that can make things tough, outside agencies have been given a bit more leeway, in exchange for their cooperation.  I would be very surprised if they were ordered to stand-down for any threat.  The hot zones downtown have been turned into a meat grinder, so lawless crowds most likely won't get too far.  It also seems more likely that they would go east, but that isn't a promise.

Hopefully the heat and humidity dissuade a lot of the crowds on Wed. and Thu.

I don't think that we will see anything of the magnitude where people outside of downtown would have to start popping PMags.  Stay vigilant, but don't kill yourself agonizing with worry.

I am glad that I live and work far enough away from Downtown that I will be unaffected by any RNC shenanigans.

Thanks for the insiders perspective.  The part highlighted in red has been my attitude as well.  The go bag is beefed up with extra changes of clothes as a just in case but things seem pretty calm.  I just got back from an evening walk around the neighborhood and it seems like business as usual in my little corner of the near west-side.  Apart from all of the helicopter traffic that is.



"The Prophets of Rage" sounds like it will draw a nice bunch, I'll have to look that one up online...





 

You want to know how I know I'm getting old?  It's a band...



 

Lulz

You're as old as I am. Good to "see" you in your old neighborhood...
 

I'm at Metro right now. No trouble getting here whatsoever. Very quiet day so far.

Thanks, safe1. It was my uncle, and his surgery went well. He's home and resting comfortably.

No problems at all today, driving or walking to and from the hospital. Lots of cops, most on bicycles, even as far out as West 25th street.  I'm home now and glad to be here.

Cle airportwas really quiet when I got here this morning. Picking up now, but not as busy as I was expecting.

As a Cleveland resident I would like to say thank you to the CPD and all of the other departments and agencies who provided assistance this week.  Your expert management of this convention not only kept the peace but showed that Cleveland is a better place than people give us credit for.

I have to give a surprised +1 to this.  They let people protest but kept them from hurting anybody (mostly) and damaging property.

No problems with the OC guys, either.  Very relieved.

Word from our intel over the course of the week was that a lot of the protesters who did show were pretty frustrated by being herded.  They were also pretty upset that campers were forced to camp pretty far away from the actual convention site (and had to deal with a lot of noise).  By the time they mobilized, we already knew, and were usually able to get them surrounded by mobile units.  Cops outnumbered the troublemakers by a large margin.  They did not expect the numbers of LE that they saw.

The heat, and location probably didn't hurt, either.  It's a pretty confined space, and the barriers made it even harder for them.  Locals really aren't sympathetic, either.  It's definitely not the same as a large Left Coast city.

Because of everything, a lot protesters ended up not even coming in, and a lot ended up leaving early.  They just didn't see the opportunity.

Thanks Cleveland.

I just got back from the RNC. We had a crew from South Carolina who went for crowd control duties. I was quite surprised by the number of people who came up and told us thanks. People brought their kids up to give us high fives, they fist bumped us,and one lady got out of her car an clapped. Once, as we walked down 4th Ave., all of the people at the outdoor bars stopped eating and gave us an ovation. Frankly, it was a little embarrassing. But, it was really refreshing given the news leading up to the RNC. We all were a little apprehensive about how things would turn out. In the end everything went well, and the people of Cleveland were awesome. Thanks.

I live in Berkeley County, just above Charleston.

I work for a state agency.

Cool. (So to speak) we went to Gulfport and then up to Jackson after Katrina.