Trump was shot at 2 days ago, but these Republicans aren't fazed
Secret Service doesn't expect changes to security plans; RNC delegates say they feel safe and empowered
People attending the Republican National Convention passed through metal detectors and had their belongings searched at security checkpoints in Milwaukee on Monday, just two days after an attempted assassination on former U.S. president Donald Trump rattled the party and prompted discussions and concerns about security at the event.
For the most part, it was business as usual: long lines of pre-vetted journalists and volunteers, wearing badges allowing them entrance, waited to go through standard security checkpoints near the Fiserv Forum, where the convention is held. Groups of police officers congregated on street corners leading up to the arena. A police dog stood dutifully by a van, awaiting orders from its wrangler.
But outside the Forum, Republican delegates and convention-goers who spoke with CBC News said they felt the shooting had changed the mood of the convention, invigorating the party's base.
Delegates expect tighter security
"I think it changes the scope of the whole election," said Terry Castro, a convention delegate from Tampa, Fla. "I think this is going to consolidate the Republican Party, way, way more than what it could have ever been."
She said the convention was more exciting because the base was energized by Trump's response to the shooting and partly because of the judicial decision to dismiss the case against the former president for his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
She observed that security seemed tighter than the last Republican convention she attended in 2016, but that it made her feel more comfortable.
"Considering what happened, that's only natural," Castro said. "Almost everywhere there's a police presence, and it really does make you feel like you're in this little envelope and very safe."
Beth Veneto, a Republican delegate from Quincy, Mass., said the shooting made her "want to stand up … not down."
"A lot of people [are] like, 'Oh my gosh. I don't know if I want to go here or do this.' This is the time for America, for everybody, to stand up.
"It makes me more empowered, and to see Trump pumping his fist like that. I mean, he's a true hero and a true patriot."
Secret Service 'confident' in security plans
During a security briefing on Sunday, members of the Secret Service said they didn't anticipate a need to beef up security in the aftermath of the Butler, Penn., shooting, which killed one attendee and injured Trump when a bullet grazed his ear. The gunman was killed by the Secret Service.
"We are confident in the security plans that are in place for this event, and we're ready to go. It's been an 18-month process," said Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, a Secret Service co-ordinator for the Republican National Convention.
"We're not anticipating any changes to our operational security plans for this event."
Wisconsin is an open-carry state. Guns aren't permitted inside the convention's security perimeter, which closes off several blocks surrounding the convention area and requires entry through checkpoints.
People can carry firearms outside those boundaries — which has caused some concern in the aftermath of the shooting. Wisconsin's Democratic governor Tony Evers reportedly requested that firearms be banned near the vicinity of the RNC, but that could contradict state law.
Law enforcement agents milled about the area outside the Forum. And for every Secret Service agent, there were additional officers from local Milwaukee police, from the state police force, Homeland Security, and others still from different U.S. states, including California and Indiana.
Heavy police presence
Several out-of-state police officers told CBC News that they were deployed to the area on a "mutual aid" request well before the shooting incident during Trump's Pennsylvania rally on Saturday. It's standard practice to bulk up convention security with police officers from other states.
Several blocks away from the Fiserv Forum, hundreds of people gathered for a protest — organized by The Coalition to March on the RNC — to draw attention to the Israel-Hamas war, abortion rights and immigration rights.
Asked whether the shooting on Saturday would change the tone of the protest, Milwaukee resident Charlie Moe, who was attending the demonstration, told CBC News he didn't think it would. However, he said protestors were "a bit more concerned about police presence."
Several locals who spoke to CBC News following the shooting on Saturday evening said they planned to stay away from the convention area entirely, while others expected more security measures.
"I'm sure they will tighten the perimeter. That being said, I assume the standard procedure is already fairly on top of security," said Milwaukee resident Dan Feuer, who was walking around the downtown area on Saturday evening.
"I'm not exactly expecting a lockdown."
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With files from Katie Simpson