Two Arrested After Protest Erupts Near GOP Convention in Dallas

By Andrew Powell (/journals/andrew-powell)

Two people were arrested during a protest near the Republican National Committee's midterm convention in Dallas as demonstrators confronted police and counter-protesters ahead of President Donald Trump's convention-closing speech. According to Fox News, the Dallas Police Department told the outlet that officers arrested two protesters after they allegedly "assaulted a counter-protester" and "obstructed a road." Police said the suspects' names and specific charges would be released after they were booked into jail. The confrontation happened just blocks from the American Airlines Center, where Republicans gathered for the party's first-ever midterm convention. Trump and other Republican leaders were scheduled to address attendees during the two-day event. Videos circulating on social media appeared to show a large group of protesters confronting Dallas police. Officers were seen responding in protective equipment as tensions increased near the convention area. Rick Majumdar, a protester wearing a shirt bearing the name of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, said the demonstration was organized by the Dallas Against the Trump Agenda Coalition. The coalition had publicly announced plans to march against the Republican convention and describes itself as a group bringing together organizations opposed to the Trump administration's policies. "We're here to protest the Republican agenda, the Trump agenda and all its policies that it has enacted over the last few years," Majumdar said. He claimed police closures affected the group's march and said officers arrested two people near the front of the demonstration. Majumdar blamed what he described as "conservative provocateurs" for escalating the situation. "Those people were trying to draw people away from rioting provocateurs," he said, claiming police then moved in and arrested them. The police department's account differed from Majumdar's characterization. According to Dallas police, the arrests followed an alleged assault of a counter-protester and obstruction of a roadway. The protest was part of a larger effort surrounding the Republican convention. Organizers had promoted a march from Pike Park toward the American Airlines Center, while publicly describing their events as nonviolent and calling on participants to de-escalate confrontations. The demonstration also came as officials and political organizations prepared for heightened security around the convention. Republicans gathered in Dallas with less than two months remaining before the midterm elections, seeking to energize their voters and defend their congressional majorities. Watch the video below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP7GCt41e5o