Coalition to March on the RNC rejects city of Milwaukee's offer for protest route

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- We're just under a month away from the start of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, and protesters have been working for months to establish a route approved by the city. 

The Coalition to March on the RNC held a press conference Monday, June 17, saying they left without an agreement after a meeting with the Secret Service and city leadership. 

Omar Flores, the group's spokesperson, says they successfully protested the Republican primary debate without a permit last year and expect the same treatment if they aren't given a permit this summer.

"And so we expect the same treatment. And honestly, if there are mass arrests, then that's really like sending the wrong message, right? That just because other people are in our town we're going to treat people that want to exercise their First Amendment rights differently, right?"

We reached out to the city of Milwaukee for comment. Mayor Johnson's office says the city's goal is to give people a full opportunity to express their First Amendment rights while also making sure all events in and around the convention are safe.