The 2024 Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday, July 15. Donald Trump will be officially proclaimed the GOP's candidate for President and we expect to learn the identity of his running mate at that time. But plenty of other people have been making plans for this event and they don't all involve supporting the Republican Party. Two groups of agitators from the ACLU and a new faction called the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 went to court demanding that a protest parade route be established by the city of Milwaukee "within sight and hearing of the Fiserv Forum." But U.S. District Judge Brett Ludwig was having none of it. He acknowledged the right of the group to protest but said that their right to free speech did not allow them to "protest or parade in any way they choose." (CBS News)

A federal judge ruled Monday that protesters can't march through a security zone at the Republican National Convention, handing a defeat to liberals who had pushed to have closer access to where delegates will be gathering next week in Milwaukee.

The American Civil Liberties Union and the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 filed a lawsuit last month against the city of Milwaukee, alleging that the city's plans for protesters violated their free speech rights.

They had asked the judge to order that the city design a protest parade route that is within sight and hearing of the Fiserv Forum where thousands of Republicans will be gathering starting Monday to nominate Donald Trump for president.

The groups organizing these protests are comprised of the usual list of suspects we've come to expect. The website for the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024 clearly sets forth their agenda. They claim to support LGBTQ rights, abortion access, and, of course, "Stand With Palestine." This is the same pack of hateful, extreme antisemites that have been showing up on college campuses all over the country and their antics have, frankly, grown rather boring at this point.

The decision by Judge Ludwig was an admirable one, at least in theory. The right to free speech is not absolute. Just as you can't shout "fire" in a crowded theater, you also can't impinge upon the security perimeters established by the Secret Service or disrupt the legal activities of other groups who have obtained the proper permits required to hold events. It was an unusual and perhaps admirable move by the protest groups to apply for a parade permit, but the city was under no obligation to approve it.

With all of that said, the judge's decision is unlikely to have any impact on how the situation plays out on Monday. We've seen how these weasels operate too many times already and I'm not expecting anything to change now. Many of them will show up equipped for battle, funded by George Soros and his friends. They will rush whatever police lines are established and attempt to block the entrances to the Fiserv Forum. A fair number of them may be arrested, but most will be released without penalty shortly thereafter. Liberal activists will ensure that the bail is paid for the rest of them promptly. This is the new breed of "protesters" that we're dealing with who resemble terrorists more than activists in most cases.

Keep in mind that they've already promised to do the same thing when the DNC meets in Chicago this summer. They have vowed to make it look like "1968 all over again." They aren't even bothering to file for permits in the Windy City. The Chicago Police Department is making it sound like they're ready to start busting heads and loading up the paddy wagons. Will the Milwaukee police be similarly prepared? We should know soon enough.