Dallas police and Secret Service officials have mapped out where traffic will be barred during President Trump’s two-day Republican convention. Where protesters will be allowed remains unsettled.
Authorities on Thursday outlined a broad security plan for the event at American Airlines Center that will close streets for five days, shut down DART’s Victory Station for three days and restrict access around the arena and Victory Park.
Anti-Trump groups have planned demonstrations, but authorities did not say where they might take place or how close protesters could get to the arena. That leaves a question hanging less than two weeks before Dallas hosts one of the year’s largest political events.
“It is our goal to ensure that anyone who wants to come to this event and make their speech known, they’re able to do that in a safe manner,” Deputy Chief Devon Palk said at a news conference at Jack Evans Police Headquarters.
Pulled together on a compressed timeline, the convention is expected to draw more than 20,000 people, top Trump administration officials and national media attention, requiring a massive local and federal security presence.
For those with jobs in Victory Park, Palk had a recommendation: Stay home and work from there if you can during the convention.
Plus, he added, other parts of Dallas could also see road closures with little notice.
Although demonstrations do not require city permits, Palk encouraged groups to submit an online request detailing their plans and proposed march routes. He said several have done so.
Officials said the event would close Houston Street, Victory Avenue, Nowitzki Way and other streets in Victory Park from Sept. 7 through early Sept. 11.
Christina Foley, who leads the Secret Service’s Dallas field office and is overseeing the security planning, said some of the security measures — such as temporary fencing and vehicle barriers — would be visible, but not all of them.
Dallas police will assist with security in a coordinated effort involving federal agencies and other local departments, including Arlington and Grand Prairie police, according to a host committee spokesperson. Teams will be assigned to intelligence sharing, traffic and transit management and contingency planning.
The convention will feature a parade of speeches, testimonials and entertainment promoting Trump’s agenda and Republican candidates before the November elections.
With late-summer temperatures expected during that time, Dallas Fire-Rescue Chief Justin Ball said crews would staff first-aid stations and deploy roaming medical teams and paramedics.
“We strongly encourage all attendees to be mindful of the heat,” he said. “Stay hydrated, seek shade whenever possible and pace yourselves.”
Staff writer Lilly Kersh contributed to this report.
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This article originally published at Dallas maps Trump convention street closures, but possible protest sites remain unclear.