Skift Take
For the past four presidential cycles, political conventions in the U.S. have turned into high-security temporary fortresses that do their best to block out all public dissent while promoting an picture of public support and unity.
An iron Great Wall the length of Brorein Street and packs of bicycling cops greeted downtown workers Thursday, the surest sign of the coming Republican National Convention.
Sometime Wednesday night, work crews lined Brorein Street with iron fencing from Meridian Avenue to the Brorein Street bridge. The fence is about eight feet tall, with grating small enough to prevent a foothold for climbing.
The barrier appears to be the northern boundary of the convention's security perimeter, but true to its name, the Secret Service wouldn't confirm what it is. Anyone wishing to enter the security zone near the For
