Republican National Convention delivers colorful, mostly peaceful protests

Willard Manning, 75, of West Monroe, Louisiana, drove 1,000 miles in his Prius over three days to get to Cleveland, with bumper stickers on his car that say “Sinner Repent” and one listing the 10 Commandments.

Why he’s here: “I serve God, so I go around the country. I’m not into politics that much, but I know Democrats support abortion. And I can’t support abortion.”

Willard Manning, 75, of West Monroe, Louisiana, drove to Cleveland to support Donald Trump and spread his pro-life stance. (Tolly Taylor/Special to USA TODAY)

Why Trump: “He’ll surround himself with good conservative Christians.”

Daniel Howell from Vidalia, Georgia, said he’s been a Trump supporter since the beginning. (Tolly Taylor/Special to USA TODAY)

Daniel Howell of Vidalia, Georgia, drove all night with two friends to get to Cleveland and said he’s been impressed with how the city has opened its arms for the convention. He said he’s noticed a feeling of camaraderie and had yet to see any confrontations.

“I’ve been a Trump supporter since the beginning, and he might not be perfect, but he’s the best case scenario,” he said. “Globalism is not the answer.”

Dan Johnson has several reasons to support Donald Trump and yelled them at passersby Monday. (Tolly Taylor/Special for USA TODAY)

Dan Johnson was walking down South Roadway when he ran into the last people he wanted to see.

Donald Trump protesters.

Stand Together Against Trump blocked his way as people marched through Public Square. Traveling from Akron, Johnson was on his way to a Trump rally hosted by Alex Jones when he was stopped from crossing the street. As the protesters walked by, he yelled his “Top 5 Reasons to Elect Trump:”

1) “He’ll close the borders.”
2) “He’ll stop ISIS.”
3) “He’ll stop Hillary.”
4) “Obama’s a terrible president.”
5) “America has had seven years of economic stagnation under Obama.

Code Pink protesters brought out 500 tennis balls Tuesday to make a point that people can carry guns near Quicken Loans Arena but can’t have tennis balls in the security zone. (Michelle Martinelli/Special to USA TODAY)

As police gathered up their tennis balls, Alli McCracken, director of Code Pink: Women for Peace, demanded to know why.

The answer: “people stuff tennis balls with explosives,” a police commander told her.

Code Pink members brought 500 pink and yellow tennis balls near Quicken Loans Arena Tuesday evening to protest that guns are allowed in most secure zones at the Republican National Convention, but tennis balls are not. As officers arrived, the protesters scattered the tennis balls. Police walked around picking them up before forming a perimeter around the protesters. Minutes later, nine police officers on horseback arrived to monitor the protesters and the crowd of onlookers, which was growing around them.

“[The police on horseback] shows a level of success,” said Barbara Briggs-Letson, 82, a Code Pink member from California. “I think they have more police on horseback than we have protesters.”

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