Vance, Republicans urge public safety at 2020 Kenosha protest site » Urban Milwaukee

JD Vance delivers his vice presidential nomination acceptance speech. Photo by Jeramey Jannene

Almost exactly four years ago, when parts of downtown Kenosha were destroyed in riots as the city protested the police shooting of a police officer, Jacob Blake, Donald Trump was president. Violent crime has fallen since Trump left office, FBI data shows.

Here in Wisconsin, local governments and their emergency services, including police departments, saw an increase in funding under a bill signed by the governor last year. Tony Evers.

But on Tuesday afternoon, Trump’s supporters said they wanted his leadership on crime and public safety back in Trump’s running mate, the U.S. senator from Ohio. JD Vanceheld a press conference on criminal justice in the same park where many of those 2020 protests took place, during which he attacked the vice president Kamala Harris‘s public safety record and linking her to activist claims in 2020 to “dismantle the police.”

Vance promised that his Trump administration would protect public safety by imposing stricter immigration rules, sentencing to death those convicted of drug trafficking and ending trials of police officers.

“We don’t just have a bunch of promises about the Trump campaign,” Vance said. “We’ve had four years of Donald Trump’s successful leadership that has brought public safety to our streets, and that’s something to celebrate and look forward to. So here’s President Trump’s solemn promise to our law enforcement community and all of those, all of us who benefit from their sacrifices and their public safety.”

On Tuesday, salt trucks and buses were stationed in downtown Kenosha to block vehicle traffic from the park, much as they were used to keep protesters out in 2020, this time so the U.S. Secret Service could restrict access to the park.

Sharon BuegeA Kenosha resident who volunteers for the Republican Party and attended the press conference told the Wisconsin Examiner that she appreciated what she saw as Vance’s “positive” message about “supporting the badge.” She still blames Democrats for property destruction in her city in 2020.

“They burned down our city,” she said.

Buege railed against “the entire leftist agenda” and Democrats, whom she called “a bunch of radical lunatics.” She listed a laundry list of common Republican complaints about the country’s southern border, the economy, abortion and school curricula as her top issues.

At the event, the Trump-Vance ticket received the endorsement of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, the second police union in the state to endorse Trump, after the Milwaukee Police Association endorsed him last week.

“Public safety is the foundation of a good country and Wisconsin State Police know that Donald Trump is the nominee for public safety,” Vance said of the endorsements.

During his speech, Vance, who was also joined on stage by U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde and the US representative. Bryan Steil —attacked the city of Chicago, where the Democrats are currently holding their convention, as the “murder capital of the United States,” discussed “Mexican drug cartels” operating in Wisconsin and questioned Harris’ ability to solve these problems after more than three years in the White House.

In 2022, Chicago had more murders than any other city, but it is one of the largest cities in the country. Adjusted for population, it ranked 17th in murder rate per 100,000 residents.

Gina Paulickwho recently moved from California to Mount Pleasant, said she thought Vance’s message was good because he “reinforced support for police.”

“Everyone wants to feel safe in their environment,” she said.

Paulick said she “fled” California because of crime and inflation and was glad her Republican vote could make a meaningful difference in a swing state.

Outside the park, where a crowd gathered to hear Vance’s comments after security barred people from entering the park, numerous conspiracy theories circulated.

A woman named Nancywho would not give her last name or hometown out of vague fear that “they really want to win this election” and would punish her for her comments, bounced between complaints about the salaries of administrators at the University of Wisconsin, the Environmental Protection Agency’s handling of the cleanup effort after a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, last year, the war in Gaza and global warming.

At one point she got into a tizzy about the assassination of President John F. Kennedygas prices and propaganda taught in American universities.

When asked why she attended the event, she said the country had “normal gas prices, real peace and real prosperity” under Trump.

Vance, Republicans say they are best on public safety as they return to Kenosha protest site was originally published by Wisconsin Examiner.