CLEVELAND - Cleveland officials insist it will be safe, that they are ready, even though violence has erupted outside events for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in other cities. While some are worried about the city being overrun by the thousands of protesters expected during the July 18-21 convention, others are concerned about restrictions on demonstrations and the equipment and tactics police may use to control the crowds.

CLEVELAND � Less than six weeks before the start of the Republican National Convention in his city, Andrew Wohlgang is worried.

Wohlgang is the president of venerable Read�s Jewelers on Prospect Avenue, a few blocks from Quicken Loans Arena, ground zero for the convention. His insurer, Lloyd�s of London, told him he�s not covered in the event of a terrorist incident. Damage and losses from rioting?

�I�m not 100 percent sure I�m covered for riots,� he said.

Meanwhile, he wonders if city officials have covered all their bases.

�I hope Cleveland is ready and that they are expecting the unexpected,� Wohlgang said.

What does he expect?

�It�s going to be a zoo,� he said.

Cleveland officials insist it will be safe, that they are ready, even though violence has erupted outside events for presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump in other cities.

"I can't stress enough that we are prepared for this," Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said at a recent news conference.

While some are worried about the city being overrun by the thousands of protesters expected during the July 18-21 convention, others are concerned about restrictions on demonstrations and the equipment and tactics police may use to control the crowds.

The ACLU of Ohio and the Ohio Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, both sending legal observers to the event, have complained about what they see as overly restrictive efforts to keep protesters away from GOP delegates, delays in the approval of protest permits, and ambiguity in the rules.

And it�s not just about groups wanting to protest Trump or other social issues. The ACLU also is assisting Citizens for Trump as it grows frustrated by delays and restrictions while trying to plan a 5,000-person rally on the convention's opening day.

"It's not about right or left, it's about our right to assemble and express our thoughts," said Tim Selaty Sr. of Houston, co-founder of Citizens for Trump. "Under the city's parameters, they do it in a way that causes conflict. They are bottlenecking us all together."

Selaty had planned a festival-like rally with speakers and live music in a lakefront park just north of downtown, followed by a march to the arena led by motorcycle-riding and truck-driving Trump supporters. He was ready to spend thousands of dollars to rent stage and audio equipment, portable toilets and hotel rooms.

But those plans were upended when city officials recently announced a designated parade route for demonstrators � a 1.5-mile stretch on the southwest side of downtown across the Hope Memorial Bridge, which spans the Cuyahoga River near Progressive Field, where the Indians play.

Demonstrations, limited to one hour, will be allowed 2 to 5 p.m. July 18 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 19-21. In addition, there will be a speaker's platform on Public Square with 30-minute slots from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Two downtown parks will be available for art installations and other displays. All require permits.

�The parade route actually takes folks away from the action outside the event perimeter � under a highway overpass, and it�s sort of an industrial wasteland," Elizabeth Bonham, an ACLU staff attorney, said at a briefing in Cleveland last week.

Larry Bresler, executive director of Organize Ohio!, a group working to organize protests by progressive groups, is also upset about the parade route. He would rather see the End Poverty NOW! march on July 18 go down one of two of Cleveland�s main streets � Euclid or Superior avenues � directly into downtown.

Alternate gatherings are not banned, but the rules are unclear.

Citizens for Trump and dozens of others are waiting to hear from city officials about their permit requests.

"Every day that goes by diminishes our numbers," Selaty said. He also worries about security. He had hoped to gather away from other protesters and fears that having everyone "smushed together" could spark violence.

�Security is not a magical talisman that the government can wave around as an excuse to impinge on our First Amendment rights,� Bonham said. She also questioned establishment of an "event zone" with a 3 1/2-mile radius where such things as metal-tipped umbrellas, containers of bodily fluids, tennis balls and water guns are banned � although real guns are allowed.

Mindful of recent clashes between protesters and Cleveland police � including demonstrations last year after the acquittal of Officer Michael Brelo in a police chase and shooting that left two people dead � the ACLU and other groups are bracing for mass arrests and ugly confrontations during the convention.

City officials stress that people will be allowed to express themselves.

But Jacqueline Greene, co-coordinator of the Ohio Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, said, � These regulations leave a lot of room for ambiguity, a lot of room to round up, cite or otherwise harass people trying to engage in an expression of their fundamental rights.� Her organization is enlisting legal observers and will provide lawyers to represent demonstrators if they get arrested.

Joe Roman, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership, said he thinks the city is on track to deal with 50,000 visitors.

�While this will not be business as usual, it will not be business impossible,� Roman said. Although some businesses and organization are shutting down for the week, such as the Jones Day law firm and the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, many will remain open. Some are staggering their hours, he said.

In downtown Cleveland, Susan Hale is preparing. She owns Rocket Fizz, a soda pop and candy shop facing Euclid Avenue in the revitalized 5th Street Arcade.

She hopes the convention crush will bring in more business. �My husband and I actually plan on sleeping here,� said Hale, who lives in the Akron suburb of Cuyahoga Falls.

She does have security concerns. Hale plans to remove products from the window and has metal grates over the windows and doors that she can pull down �if things get out of control.�

�I�m going to remain positive until I see a reason not to,� she said.

ccandisky@dispatch.com

@CCandisky

mferenchik@dispatch.com

@MarkFerenchik

jsiegel@dispatch.com

@phrontpage