Bernie Sanders supporters should come to Philadelphia prepared to share their views, but not any propensity toward violent disruption.
Neither major-party political convention this summer is likely to be a snooze-fest, breaking a streak lasting almost half a century.
When the Republicans gather in Cleveland and the Democrats encamp in Philadelphia, the nominees won't be a surprise. But, there could be suspense over vice-presidential picks. The real wild card is what the outliers -- protesters, party faithful who have been marginalized, single-issue advocates -- will do in the host cities.
At first, it looked like Cleveland police had more need for riot gear. Donald Trump supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators went at it inside and outside of several Trump rallies. Now that he's the prospective nominee, things have quieted down.
Clashes in Cleveland are still possible, but pummeling in Philadelphia now seems a larger worry. Bernie Sanders supporters have loudly made their feelings known about Hillary Clinton's likely Democratic candidacy. There's been no violence to speak of, but the Democrats' chairwoman in Nevada -- viewed as aligned with Clinton -- reported death threats after a raucous state party meeting.
Since the Democrats' July 25-28 confab is the one closest to home, it's the one we're most concerned about. If Sanders stays in the race after June 7 primaries in California and New Jersey, he's got to more emphatically tell his backers not to act like goons when they come to Philadelphia.
Last week, officials gave a green light to four official pro-Sanders demonstrations in FDR Park, which is right across from the Wells Fargo Center that will house the convention. Protesters can rally from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. each convention day, which is pretty generous.
Of course, some demonstrators will try to get closer to the venue's entrances and the TV cameras. Others will make their presence known in Center City. Police and security personnel must not overreact when people non-violently gather, even outside designated spaces.
Now, the good news. For decades, law enforcement personnel in Philadelphia have been adept at keeping big demonstrations manageable.
The city has seen several recent $15-minimum-wage and racial justice rallies. Some blocked rush-hour traffic and resulted in a few arrests, but big confrontations were few. And, no U.S. city has it figured out better than Philadelphia in clearing crowds of hundreds of thousands after events like the giant Welcome America concerts. At 6 a.m. the next day, even all the trash is gone from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
This puts the onus on Sanders and his supporters to act in ways that keep the peace. Conversely, the city where America won its freedoms should not need to unfairly constrict those freedoms.
The late Mayor Frank Rizzo so feared and loathed possible demonstrators that he chillingly turned the 1976 Bicentennial celebration into a big bust. Such ugly history need not repeat itself. The Democratic National Convention should be interesting and just a little crazy, whether one is inside the hall, or outside looking in.
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