Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) has deployed human rights observers to monitor protests at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, OH, this week and will do the same at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, PA, next week. The following is a statement from Eric Ferrero, AIUSA’s Deputy Executive Director for Strategic Communications and Digital Initiatives, following the second day of the convention:
"On the second day of observing protests in Cleveland, Amnesty International USA’s delegation noted a heavy police presence that sometimes outnumbered protesters. For the most part, police helped ensure that peaceful protesters representing a range of views could exercise their right to free expression. One protest in the late afternoon grew tense, and police issued a dispersal order. Our observers are gathering more information on that situation. We will continue to monitor protests throughout the week to ensure that everyone’s human rights are protected.”
For more on Amnesty International USA's delegation, go to: https://www.amnestyusa.org/news/press-releases/amnesty-international-to-send-delegation-of-human-rights-observers-to-the-republican-and-democratic
AIUSA’s letter to the Cleveland Police Department: https://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/aiusa_tg_to_the_cleveland_police_department_on_the_policing_protests_at_rnc.pdf
AIUSA’s letter to the Philadelphia Police Department: https://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/aiusa_tg_to_philadelphia_police_department_on_the_policing_of_protests_at_dnc.pdf
A list of best practices on the policing of protests with respect for human rights, as identified by Amnesty International and shared with both police departments: https://www.amnestyusa.org/pdfs/GoodPracticesForLawEnforcementForPolicingDemonstrations.pdf