Did change in tactics by police, protesters lead to skirmishes?

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio recently completed a protest manual that offers dos and don'ts for prospective demonstrators. It addresses everything from the right of police to infiltrate groups to when and how to apply for parade and event permits. In this 2015 photo, police arrest a demonstrator on Cleveland's Johnson Court, near West Sixth Street.(Joshua Gunter/cleveland.com)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Protesters have rights.

So do the police.

Both sides will get to test those rights in July, when they will undoubtedly meet on the streets and sidewalks of Cleveland during the Republican National Convention.

The two sides faced off last May, following the acquittal of Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo, who was charged with manslaughter for his role in the shooting deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams following a 2012 car chase.

During the protests, each side stepped on the rights of the other, with demonstrators blocking intersections and ignoring police orders and the police arresting many who were peacefully assembling and following orders.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio filed a lawsuit against the city two months later, arguing that police intentionally delayed bringing arrested protesters before a judge to keep them from potentially returning to the streets. The city ultimately agreed to pay $5,000 to a protester jailed for a day. The suit also triggered a new "mass arrest procedure," governing how to police large groups of people and how to ensure those arrested in large crowds are processed quickly.

The ACLU and the city continue to talk about demonstrations as the convention approaches, particularly about permits for access to streets and parks. The ACLU also just completed a handbook called "2016 Republican National Convention: A Constitutional Playbook."

I'll just call it a protest manual.

The manual offers dos and don'ts for prospective demonstrators. It is based on a guidebook produced by the Florida ACLU for the 2012 Republican convention in Tampa. But the Ohio ACLU tailored this one to Cleveland and it reflects more recent case law. It addresses everything from the right of police to infiltrate groups to when and how to apply for parade and event permits. You can find the manual here.

I recently talked to the Ohio ACLU Executive Director Christine Link about the manual and related issues. Link, who is 64, has been observing or participating in demonstrations since she was 18, including ones in Cleveland. She's obviously also been on the frontlines of legal battles over First Amendment rights. Here's a bit from our conversation.

Why did the ACLU produce the protest manual?

Link said interest in the 2016 RNC is high. She said that the ACLU office has been fielding questions from groups, individuals and reporters about what rights they have to march, observe and record activities surrounding the convention.

"Conventions are not just about parties, they are opportunities to witness democracy in action," Link said.

Can anyone record police officers in action?

Yes. But Link said demonstrators and observers with cameras cannot come between police and a person being arrested, even if the observer believes the arrest is unjust.

"You do not have a right to interfere and make yourself the judge," she said.

Can police record protesters?

Yes. And, Links said, demonstrators should assume they are being watched or recorded.

Can police confiscate a protesters phone or other recording device?

No. Police need a warrant, unless police make an arrest.

Can police or federal agents infiltrate groups planning to protest at the RNC?

Yes. Police are allowed to lie and pose as civilians in person or on social media.

Can people who "go limp" while being arrested also be charged with resisting arrest?

Yes. Ohio law specifically prohibits acting limp.

Cleveland has yet to approve any permits for demonstrations related to the RNC. City officials say they must wait for the U.S. Secret Service to set the security zone around convention activities, which will not be public until about two weeks before the convention. Do you think this is a stall tactic to make it difficult for groups to organize?

"I think the city is well aware that by controlling information, it is more difficult for people to make plans," Link said.

Can people still show up and protest without a permit?

Yes, but with limitations. A permit is required to walk in the street, block traffic or take up a lot of sidewalk space.

What type of protesters have you seen in the past and expect to see in Cleveland?

Link doesn't like labeling a person as a protester or demonstrator because everyone has the same rights, she said. But she said big events attract three categories of people. 1.) Observers, including families and children, who simply want to witness a piece of history. 2.) People who take a page from Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi and plan to engage in civil disobedience and are well aware of the consequences. 3.) Hooligans.

What do protesters typically misunderstand about their rights?

Link said they believe the First Amendment protects everything they do, such as blocking building entrances, traffic or pedestrians.

What do the police misunderstand?

Link said she believes the police clearly understand their rights and the rights of demonstrators. "They give lip service to the First Amendment," she said. ""They just want people to go away."

Do you think Cleveland should buy protest insurance?

"It is judicious," Link said. "But it should not be used as a blank check to abuse rights."

During some past conventions, host cities relegated protesters to free-speech zones, often set far from the action of the convention. Cleveland officials have repeatedly said they are not establishing them. Do such zones violate free -speech rights?

Link said case law is mixed on the topic. She also noted that other host cities that created free-speech zones waited until the last minute to establish them, making it difficult for legal groups to challenge their constitutionality before the convention activities began. She said hopes this will not happen here.

Do you think the city's new mass protest rules will be helpful to both sides?

The major changes agreed upon by the city, such as quickly getting protesters before a judge, remain untested, Link said. "They should have been doing it all along," she said.