Before marching to the Forum Thursday night, protesters gathered in the park, chanting in support of gay rights, immigrant rights, reproductive rights, taxing the rich and the reform of America's political system. The chants were sometimes as harsh on President Obama as Mitt Romney; one chant that began "Fuck Romney" were met by shouts of "Fuck Obama." Credit: Joeff Davis

Before marching to the Forum Thursday night, protesters gathered in the park, chanting in support of gay rights, immigrant rights, reproductive rights, taxing the rich and the reform of America’s political system. The chants were sometimes as harsh on President Obama as Mitt Romney; one chant that began “Fuck Romney” were met by shouts of “Fuck Obama.” Credit: Joeff Davis

Before marching to the Forum Thursday night, protesters gathered in the park, chanting in support of gay rights, immigrant rights, reproductive rights, taxing the rich and the reform of America’s political system. The chants were sometimes as harsh on President Obama as Mitt Romney; one chant that began “Fuck Romney” were met by shouts of “Fuck Obama.” Credit: Joeff Davis
  • Joeff Davis
  • Before marching to the Forum Thursday night, protesters gathered in Lykes Gaslight Park."

When there’s a seismic shift thousands of miles from any inhabited land mass, those in the doomed locale can prepare all they want, but they can’t avoid the fact they’re in the direct path of a violent tsunami.

That’s probably how many members of the media felt two years ago when they heard the Republican National Convention was coming to Tampa — at least, those who knew they’d have to cover protests. There was that massive federal grant for security. Those rumors about tear gas. Very true stories about journalists getting hauled in at prior conventions solely for being there. Then there was Occupy. Oh, and Tampa’s planned enforcement of “Event Zones.”

Any journalist assigned to cover a protest during the RNC could have reasonably anticipated the likelihood of getting arrested or teargassed or being proximal to brute force and people who throw poo.

Yet, for whatever reason, by late Thursday night’s rally and march against Mitt Romney in Downtown Tampa, a riot had yet to break out. Arrests were at an eerie minimum. There were a few close calls Thursday, though:

Someone had the idea of torching the puppet, even though it stood in the middle of an estimated crowd of hundreds. The idea never caught on, and the demonstrators set out on a march through Downtown Tampa — flanked by legions of police on foot, horses, and bicycle.

This article appears in Aug 30 – Sep 5, 2012.