RNC 2020 live updates: What to know in Charlotte on August 24
We’re updating with the latest on news from Charlotte as the Republican National Convention nears. President Donald Trump will arrive on Monday. Check back for updates.
Monday’s roll call
The Republican National Convention’s main business, including the roll call nomination of Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, is scheduled to take place Monday until 1 p.m. at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Air Force One landed in Charlotte at around 11:45 a.m. Trump began speaking to delegates at around 12:35 p.m.
The RNC’s already making news for who won’t be there. Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who’s locked in one of the nation’s most-watched reelection battles here in North Carolina, will be in Charlotte on Monday but not for the convention, his staff said.
Convention delegates expressed confidence that Trump will defeat Joe Biden despite trailing the Democrat in polls.
“When we talk to people on the ground, we are seeing a grassroots swell for him,” South Carolina delegate Glenn McCall of Rock Hill told the Observer. “A lot of people won’t talk to pollsters.”
In addressing the delegates, Trump began by casting doubt on the legitimacy of controversial mail-in voting programs.
He then touched on a wide ranging list of topics that included complaining about how major networks were covering the RNC, his desire to keep the word “God” in the Pledge of Allegiance, and praise for progress in fighting COVID-19.
Trump also said he felt an obligation to come to North Carolina while criticizing Biden for not going to Milwaukee for the planned convention.
The president also ran through the list of former Democratic candidates, including “loser Bernie” and “Pocahontas Elizabeth Warren,” and claiming there is no enthusiasm for Biden as the top choice to represent the Democratic party.
His nearly hour-long speech ended about 1:30 p.m. and the President exited the hall as the Village People’s 1978 hit “YMCA” played.
Where are the masks?
North Carolinians have been required to wear masks in public settings since late June, but many Monday RNC attendees appeared to be either unaware or unwilling to comply.
A Charlotte Observer reporter at the Convention Center Monday morning noted only half the people on the convention floor were wearing masks, which is a way to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Delegates are required to wear masks and support staff are all wearing them.
A June 24 executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper’s called for wearing face coverings at public gatherings place, including retail businesses, restaurants and “high occupancy settings.” To date, mask enforcement has largely fallen on business owners, who are asked to require patrons to wear face coverings.
Large protest planned
Protests are expected to continue Monday as RNC delegates wrap up their work and fly out of Charlotte.
“Resist RNC 2020” will hold a block party in uptown’s Marshall Park from 4:30-8 p.m. The non-partisan group said the gathering is intended to be peaceful and family friendly. Organizers expect about 2,000 people to show up.
Separately, Charlotte Uprising held three nights of protest, starting at the park, from Friday through Sunday night. Five people were arrested Saturday, and at least four on Friday, CMPD has said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say five more people were arrested overnight Sunday, including one charged with stealing a police bicycle and another accused of kicking an officer multiple times.
“Five officers received treatment from Medic due to pepper spray exposure, and one of these five was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries,” CMPD said in a Monday press release.
In a series of tweets overnight, CMPD said protesters began blocking traffic on Tryon, College and 4th streets in uptown by standing in the streets and moving barricades and trash cans into travel lanes. Protesters also stopped CATS buses from leaving the Transit Center, police said in a press release
“A slow driving vehicle was surrounded by demonstrators and prevented from leaving the area. Officers intervened and were assaulted by demonstrators,” CMPD said in a tweet. “Demonstrators refused to clear the intersection. While officers were clearing the intersection, they deployed pepper spray and made two arrests.”
Around 1:30 a.m., Charlotte Uprising tweeted, “The police are spraying protestors who are deescalating and walking away. They are evil.”
Arrests in recent days have included juveniles and police say the charges have included, damage to property, assaulting a government official and possession of a weapon during a protest.
One arrest was made shortly Monday morning involving someone who violated the security perimeter surrounding the convention center. RNC Security reports the person did not enter an area where delegates were present or impact any events.
Where to watch
All major television and cable news networks will broadcast the RNC. The RNC will also livestream convention events on its social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Alexa.
Speakers on Monday include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, former Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley and Donald Trump Jr. So are the St. Louis couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who garnered national attention in June for brandishing their guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home.
Street, transit impacts
Major roads into uptown began backing up before dawn Monday due to multiple check security points, reported the Observer’s news partner WBTV. This includes check points at East Morehead and South Tryon streets, and closure of the ramp to John Belk Freeway NB inner loop at College Street, Exit 1E.
Widespread uptown street closures will end by 6 a.m. Tuesday.
Expect these roads to be closed: South College Street between the Westin Hotel and 3rd Street. East Stonewall Street between the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture and S. Caldwell Street. All alleyways and roads within the perimeter. Go here for a full list of closures.
Checkpoints will allow only authorized vehicles inside the RNC security perimeter. That includes: vehicles with delegates, RNC staff and guests, residents, employees, business patrons, food delivery services, ride shares, taxis, Uber, Lyft, and repair services. All other vehicles will be turned away.
Businesses nearby and within the perimeter can remain open if permitted by coronavirus regulations.
The convention will affect transit buses and trains in uptown Monday, the Charlotte Area Transit System says.
These bus routes will see detours or temporary changes: Local routes 5 (Sprinter), 35 and 16; Express routes 40X, 46X, 52X, 64X, 65X and 74X; and MetroRAPID routes 48X, 53X, 63X and 77X. Go here for details.
LYNX Blue Line rail service won’t be available all day Monday from the Carson Station to the 7th Street Station. The stops will instead be linked by buses at nearby bus stops.
For more information, visit ridetransit.org or call CATS at 704-336-7433.
What about businesses?
The convention was initially expected to bring 50,000 visitors to uptown Charlotte and leave $150 million in economic benefits. But because it was scaled down from four days to a few hours due to the pandemic, experts now expect minimal business impact.
The 300 to 400 convention guests expected are about the number Aria Tuscan Grill owner Pierre Bader would normally serve on a pre-pandemic Friday or Saturday night. “We’re expecting nothing from it,” he said.
Still, city boosters and some small businesses say any additional dollars in the economy are helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Most of the economic impact and the way we measure impact is really about visitor spending,” said Tom Murray, CEO of the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. “Certainly it’s not going to be that kind of event obviously ....”
This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 7:21 AM.