Cleveland sets route for protest marches at RNC convention

CLEVELAND (AP) — Cleveland has designated a route about 1 1/2 miles long for protest marches during the Republican National Convention in July, while leaving open the possibility that protest marches would be allowed outside the “event zone” surrounding Quicken Loans Arena.

The announcement today comes after a civil-rights organization warned last week it would sue Cleveland if officials didn’t decided by June 1 whether to grant parade permit applications for two groups planning large rallies July 18, the first day of the four-day convention.

Left-leaning organizations plan to protest economic inequality that day. The other group is organizing a celebration in support of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Cleveland’s police chief said the city will try to accommodate protesters outside the event zone like it has the previous 18 months.