MILWAUKEE — A legal battle is brewing in Wisconsin over details of the Republican National Convention. 

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin (ACLU) filed a lawsuit Wednesday night against the City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and Department of Public Works Commissioner Jerrel Kruschke over protest regulations for the 2024 convention.

Omar Flores is the co-chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC. He led a rally Thursday in front of the federal courthouse downtown to announce the filing of the lawsuit. It alleges that Milwaukee’s ordinances limiting where protesters can parade violates First Amendment rights.

“We have been clear from the beginning. We will march within sight and sound of Fiserv Forum, as it is our constitutional right to assemble, speak and petition,” said Flores.

The group is fighting to march closer to the primary event sites — Fiserv Forum, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena, and the Baird Center — during the RNC in July. 

City leaders and security officials have indicated all demonstrations are required to be outside the security footprint.

An official “protesting zone” has not been released yet, but it’s expected to be near Pere Marquette Park in downtown Milwaukee.

Pere Marquette Park in downtown Milwaukee. (Spectrum News 1/Wendy Strong)

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Details will be announced in about two weeks, when the U.S. Secret Service releases its security perimeter where credentials will be required to enter.

Jeff Fleming, a spokesperson for Mayor Johnson, released a statement on behalf of the mayor’s office regarding the lawsuit.

“The City of Milwaukee is fully prepared to answer the court filings. We have consistently operated in good faith with all the different groups and individuals who are concerned about the demonstration plans. In fact, we have had open discussions and meetings with the litigants in this matter, including discussions just hours before the lawsuit was filed.

Fiserv Forum is within the main security footprint of the RNC. (Spectrum News 1/Wendy Strong)

“Milwaukee takes seriously its responsibility to provide an opportunity for people to express their opinions. The city is also focused on safety for all the people in and around the upcoming convention. We are working to maximize both those priorities.”

In the meantime, Flores said the Coalition to March on the RNC will not give up their fight, and they plan to start marching at noon on July 15, the first day of the RNC.

Detroit Tigers (31-33) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (38-26)

When: 1:40 p.m. Sunday.

Where: Comerica Park in Detroit.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit. (Have Xfinity but still looking for a way to watch BSD? Here are some other options.)

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1). (Tigers radio affiliates).

Probable pitchers: Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal (1-3, 4.70 ERA) vs. Brewers RHP Bryse Wilson (3-2, 3.35 ERA)

Weather: Mid-70s and mostly sunny, 18 mph winds.

• Box score

Tigers lineup: TBD.

SCARY COLLISION: Detroit Tigers’ Colt Keith leaves game with left knee discomfort after scary collision

Game notes: Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is currently the gambling favorite to win the American League Cy Young, with BetMGM listing the lefty at +170 to take home the award given to the league’s top pitcher. Baltimore Orioles starter Corbin Burnes is next closest at +450, a sizeable gap that shows just how good Skubal has been this year.

After a strong close to the 2023 season, Skubal has taken the 2024 campaign by the reins. He’s dominating hitters and consistently helping the Tigers get wins (albeit with more run support than many of the fellow starters on the team) with an impressive 7-1 record. But a look at his advanced analytics shows that he’s anything but a product of just some timely offense.

According to Baseball Savant, Skubal ranks in the top 10 percentile in five of the Statcast statistics that measure how hitters are performing (wOBA, xwOBA, hard hit percentage, walk percentage and xERA).

Skubal throws his fastball more than any other pitch and is dominating when he does so. Batters are hitting just .151 against his four-seam fastball that averages 96.7 mph, but Skubal can ramp that up sometimes and has even hit 100 mph this year. What makes those numbers even more impressive is Skubal primarily throws the fastball against right-handed hitters. Out of the 344 fastballs Skubal has thrown this year, 325 have been against right-handers. There have been just 11 hits against the four-seamer.

The fastball is just one of the reasons Skubal has been dominating this year, as the other statistics on the rest of his arsenal don’t look too much different. Pretty much any stat you look at will reveal just how much Skubal has been cooking this year, but it all starts with the fastball.

After Skubal’s start on Sunday, the Tigers will have a day off on Monday before hosting the Washington Nationals for the start of a new series on Tuesday.

TIGERS NEWSLETTER: What history tells us about Spencer Torkelson’s slow start

Live updates

For updates from and around the diamond, check it out on X.

MILWAUKEE — A 35-year-old man died Saturday evening at about 7:02 p.m. on the 2700 block of W. State St.

The Milwaukee Police Department is investigating and is searching for unknown suspects.

Anyone with information can contact the MPD at (414) 935-7360 or anonymously with Crime Stoppers at (414) 224-Tips.

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