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Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas protest in front of the main gate at Fort Campbell before the start of a memorial service for soldiers killed in combat from the Army's 101st Airborne Division in this Feb. 8, 2006 photograph.

(AP file)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland officials have granted permits to 20 individuals and groups who want to publicly demonstrate during July's Republican National Convention.

Among those who received permits this week: the Westboro Baptist Church, the virulently anti-gay, Kansas-based group best-known for protesting military funerals. The church was granted a half-hour slot on the city's planned "speakers platform" in Public Square starting at 5 p.m. on July 19. The city also granted the group an all-day permit for the next day to set up in Perk Plaza, the downtown park.

The city granted the permits on June 13 and June 14 and posted them online. The GOP convention is scheduled for July 18-21.

A message to a spokesman for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson was not immediately returned.

Under pressure from activists, Cleveland officials on May 25 set up a process for groups to file for permits to use the platform, and/or set up in either Willard Park or Perk Plaza and/or march along a designated "parade route" across the Lorain-Carnegie Bridge toward downtown. An estimated 50,000 people and a significant number of protesters are expected to come to Cleveland during the GOP convention.

The city's online posting did not contain any approved "parade" permits. Acting on behalf of three groups seeking to march in Cleveland during the GOP convention, the ACLU of Ohio this week sued Cleveland for not yet acting to grant or reject any parade permits.

Here are the other groups and individuals granted permits this week:

Andrew Purchin, of Santa Cruz, Calif. (Event name: "The Curious End to the War Against Ourselves")

Willard Park, 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., July 20, 21

BlackOnBlackCleveland.com

Speakers platform: 11-11:30 a.m. on July 18; 1:15-1:45 p.m. on July 19

Bring Ohio Back

Speakers platform: 5:45-6:15 p.m. on July 18; 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. on July 19; 2-2:30 p.m. on July 20; 5-5:30 p.m. on July 21

Code Pink Women for Peace

Speakers platform: 11-11:30 p.m., July 20

Don Bryant (Event name: "Peace in the Park")

Speakers platform: 11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m., July 20

Gaye Lub of Saint Helena, Calif

Willard Park: 9:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. on July 18-21

Greater Cleveland Immigration Network (Event name: "Community Unity")

Speakers platform: 4:15-4:45 p.m., July 19

Imperial Women Coalition

Speakers platform: 9:30-10 a.m., 12:30-1 p.m., July 18

Justin Longwell, of Oberlin, Ohio

Speakers platform: 5:45-6:15 p.m., July 21

League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland

Willard Park: 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., July 18-21

Northeast Ohio American Friends Service Committee

Speakers platform, 5-5:30 p.m., July 20

People Fight Back Center/March Against Racism

Willard Park: 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., July 21

Pierre Nappier, of Cleveland

Speakers platform: 12:30-1 p.m., July 21

Revolution Books

Perk Plaza and Willard Park, 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m, July 18-21

Rose Hamid, of Charlotte, N.C. (Event name: "Salam, I Come in Peace")

Speakers platform: 11:45 p.m.-12:15 p.m., July 18

Stand Together Against Trump

Speakers platform: 5-5:30 p.m. on July 18; 5:45-6:15 p.m. on July 20

Scott Roger Hurley, of Cleveland



Speakers platform: 10:15-10:45 a.m., July 18

Thomas Moran, of Fenton, Mich. (Event name: "Stop Trump")

Perk Plaza: 9:30 a.m.-9 p.m., July 18, 19

Valarie Robinson, of Cleveland Heights

Speakers platform: 12:30-1 p.m., July 19

An earlier version of this story incorrectly referred to Bring Ohio Back as "Bring Back Ohio." It also incorrectly stated that the Westboro Baptist Church will be speaking in Public Square on July 20.

