11 key moments from the RNC in Milwaukee on Tuesday

Here are key moments from Tuesday — just a selection of the live RNC updates Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters brought to our readers throughout the day.

Official protest zones empty again

Haymarket Square in the north protest zone was largely empty around 11 a.m. Monday, with one speaker, 82-year-old Florida resident Bob Kunst of Shalom International, monologuing on a microphone to a couple of reporters and about 13 event staffers.

“Why am I the only one here?” asked Kunst, sitting and wearing a baseball cap and shirt in support of Israel.

A registered Democrat, Kunst largely shared criticisms of President Joe Biden’s policies and the mainstream media, and called for more grassroots protest movements to gather and voice their concerns.

Later, some event staffers began some pushup competitions to pass the time..

The south protest zone at Zeidler Union Square was also quiet.

Instead, small groups of protestors congregated outside the entrances to the hard security area.

About 10 protesters were outside the entrance near the Baird Center near Wisconsin Avenue and King Drive in the early afternoon. They said they wanted to be near the action and felt like their voices would be better heard there.

Ohio cops in Milwaukee for RNC kill homeless man near King Park

Thirteen Columbus police officers were in the area near North 14th and West Vliet Streets for a briefing when they saw an altercation between two people, one of whom was holding a knife in each hand, according to preliminary information provided by Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman.

The man did not do so, and then suddenly charged at the other individual, which is when police opened fire, Norman said. Body camera footage shows the man was still armed with the knives, and lunging toward another man, at the time of the shooting.

As news of the shooting spread online, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said it "was determined to be non-RNC."

But many in Milwaukee disagreed, including those who attended an evening vigil and march for the man who was killed — identified by family as Samuel Sharpe Jr. and known as Jehovah by neighbors in the area.

"The city nonstop told us that it was going to be the people like us that caused issues during the Republican National Convention, and we warned them for years that it would be out-of-state police that would cause issues," said Alan Chavoya with the Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression.

Before the convention, Milwaukee officials estimated about 4,000 officers from law enforcement agencies outside the city would take part in policing the city this week.

Milwaukee police had said they intended to assign outside officers to positions that are not public-facing — such as traffic control — while Milwaukee officers would have primary contact with members of the community. Any assignments given to outside officers were supposed to include at least one Milwaukee police officer, according to a mutual aid agreement.

Norman did not provide more details about the duties of the Columbus officers or any supervision the Milwaukee Police Department had over them.

Downtown businesses see mixed results

Cubanitas and Brunch It Up, both in the 700 block of North Milwaukee Street, said business from downtown workers and other regular customers is off, but that they are seeing an influx of new customers visiting for the RNC.

Nearby, two eateries in the lower level of an office building at 770 N. Jefferson St. were closed: Shah Jee, a Pakistani restaurant, and Midwest Sad, which includes breakfast items and desserts on its menu.

Business activity in the Historic Third Ward has been lighter than usual this week.

"It's very quiet. And this neighborhood is very rarely quiet," said Karen Bell, owner of Bavette La Boucherie, a restaurant and butcher shop at 217 N. Broadway.

That includes a Tuesday lunch business that was about 25% of a normal weekday lunch, she said.

Adam Siegel, the owner of Lupi & Iris, 777 N. Van Buren St., said the Host Committee led them to have high expectations for RNC business. But Lupi & Iris could be down well over 50% during the convention, he said, if the trend from early days continues.

Some other high-end restaurants were closed to the public Tuesday night, including Ardent, which has received seven James Beard Award nominations under chef-owner Justin Carlisle. An employee could not "confirm nor deny" whether the restaurant hosted any VIPs for dinner.

Harbor House, a Bartolotta restaurant on Lake Michigan, was also closed to the public Tuesday, while Bacchus, another Bartolotta restaurant, is closed to the public July 13- 26 for a private event, according to its website.

Meanwhile, performers at Silk, a gentleman’s club just off of Water Street, said they saw “a rush” of people, many with RNC badges, in the early hours Tuesday. It was busier than the typical late Monday night into Tuesday night, they said.

“There were a lot of men in suits,” one performer said.

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson ties large schools to attempted Trump assassination

During Moms for Liberty’s “Giving Americans a Voice” Town Hall, Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson pushed for school choice vouchers and called to move past large schools. He brought up the point in connection to the recent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.

Johnson said the shooter was “in probably a large school, being bullied all the time. I’m hoping if there’s one result from Moms for Liberty, and this is actually going to all be tied together here, is we start moving away from these massive, large schools.”

Reince Priebus calls Milwaukee is a ‘world-class city'

Host Committee chairman Reince Priebus welcomed delegations to Wisconsin during his evening speaking slot, encouraging visitors to order a basket of cheese curds, drink a few beers and experience the "beautiful beaches of Lake Michigan."

"Milwaukee is a world-class city, and Wisconsinites are some of the kindest people you'll ever meet," Priebus said.

Priebus called Wisconsin "the nation's premier battleground state" and said, "We can make Wisconsin red again in 2024 and send Donald Trump back to the White House."

Where’s Melania?

Though early reports indicted that she would be present to watch her husband accept his nomination for presidency for a third time, Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, has not yet made an official appearance in Milwaukee. She is currently not scheduled to be a speaker.

Trump’s daughter Ivanka has also been noticeably absent from one of the most public moments of Trump's latest presidential campaign.

Senate candidate Eric Hovde attacks Baldwin, Biden and news media

Wisconsin Republican Senate candidate Eric Hovde used his time on the Republican National Convention’s stage to launch attacks against some of his favorite targets.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, President Joe Biden and the media all took the brunt of his criticism.

Hovde, a multimillionaire banking mogul, continued his attempts to tie Baldwin to Biden as the Madison Democrat has distanced herself from the president. Hovde said Democratic policies have “made us less safe at home.”

He pointed to the southern border and the fentanyl crisis as top issues. He said people’s budgets, the border and the world were more secure under Trump.

Brady businesses not thinking about RNC

Along the strip of bars and restaurants on the lower east side — just over a mile from the Republican National Convention — it’s been business as usual.

A caravan of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supporters, honking their horns and waving American flags as they drove down the street, were Brady’s only happy-hour politickers.

At La Masa, it was just a regular day.

The Argentine restaurant didn’t staff up for the RNC. “No one over here really expected it to change,” said manager Darian Emerson.

Like many Brady Street businesses, La Masa expects Brady Fest this weekend will be bigger for business than the RNC.

Closing Wolski’s more difficult this week

Looking to close Wolski’s? Be prepared to stay up late.

Bar close in Milwaukee is 4 a.m. during the Republican National Convention.

Wolski’s — the Milwaukee bar known for its closing-time bumper stickers — is taking advantage of the bonus hours.

Bartender Johnny Ransdell announced last call around 3:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden accuses protester of assault

Wisconsin Republican Rep. Derrick Van Orden said he was assaulted by an anti-war protester before a midday event, prompting a police investigation.

Code Pink, the protest group involved in the incident, denied an assault took place and said Van Orden “tried to shove past” the group’s campaign organizer, Nour Jaghama.

The group said Jaghama, whom they described as “visibly Palestinian,” was “intentionally bumped into” by Van Orden.

“He tried to cut me in line so I stood in front of him because I was first,” Jaghama said in a video posted by the group to X.

Milwaukee police told the Journal Sentinel that a 24-year-old woman “battered the victim” and was taken into custody. “The victim,” police said, referring to Van Orden, “sustained minor injuries and refused medical attention on scene.”

Milwaukee police said charges "will be reviewed by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office."

No bull ride for Mitch McConnell

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have both paid visits to Water Street country bar Red Rock, which hosted private parties in the early days of the convention.

The bar’s signature mechanical bull has been free to ride for all party guests.

McConnell gave a speech at the Red Rock party on Tuesday. He did not, however, ride the bull, sources told the Journal Sentinel.

Compiled from reporting by Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters Lawrence Andrea, Adrienne Davis, Tom Daykin, John Diedrich, Rachel Hale, Hope Karnopp, Jolan Kruse, Piet Levy, Ashley Luthern, Kathryn Muchnick, Genevieve Redsten and Ricardo Torres.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: RNC in Milwaukee: What happened Tuesday, July 16