© 2025 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

True Believers, Protesters And Trump: Scenes From Cleveland

(Left) Pro-Donald Trump buttons for sale on the street in Cleveland. (Center) A large screen truck with a photo of President Ronald Reagan can be seen through a crowd as it is stopped at a light. (Right) Supporters listen to speakers at a pro-Trump rally on Tuesday.
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
(Left) Pro-Donald Trump buttons for sale on the street in Cleveland. (Center) A large screen truck with a photo of President Ronald Reagan can be seen through a crowd as it is stopped at a light. (Right) Supporters listen to speakers at a pro-Trump rally on Tuesday.

A national convention aims to offer a space for a political party to unify — to hone its message, set aside internal divisions and move forward toward a shared adversary. As Republicans sweep up confetti and try to forget the Ted Cruz-Donald Trump flame war, Democrats pack their bags for Philadelphia, hoping to unite their own badly split party.

It's easy to say the divisions that surface in a major election year are somehow worse than the one before, anger and divisiveness compounding but with little change. The political rhetoric stays the same, year after year: "... We are going to fix the system."

During her week in Cleveland, photographer Gabriella Demczuk explored the ways that people are embracing and challenging the Republican Party's mission in this election — both from inside and outside the party. Here is a selection of what she saw.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Light falls on the American flag at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
Light falls on the American flag at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
The day before the convention officially started, police monitor protesters — including those marching with the Black Lives Matter movement — as they work their way through the streets of Cleveland. Meanwhile, delegates line up for an official convention party (right).
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
The day before the convention officially started, police monitor protesters — including those marching with the Black Lives Matter movement — as they work their way through the streets of Cleveland. Meanwhile, delegates line up for an official convention party (right).
A woman listens to a speaker at the People's Justice and Peace Conference at the Ohio City Masonic Arts Center.
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
A woman listens to a speaker at the People's Justice and Peace Conference at the Ohio City Masonic Arts Center.
Attendees take in Wednesday evening's program at the convention hall through different screens.
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
Attendees take in Wednesday evening's program at the convention hall through different screens.
An anti-Hillary Clinton sticker lies discarded on the floor at the close of the convention.
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
An anti-Hillary Clinton sticker lies discarded on the floor at the close of the convention.
Accepting the Republican nomination for president, Trump speaks at the close of the convention.
/ Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
/
Gabriella Demczuk for NPR
Accepting the Republican nomination for president, Trump speaks at the close of the convention.

Ariel Zambelich
Ariel Zambelich is an editor on NPR's award-winning Visuals Team, which collaborates with the newsroom to tell stories that create empathy through photojournalism, illustration, graphics, design, data reporting, and video journalism. She has covered major breaking news events, collaborated on international stories including climate change in India and war in Afghanistan, photographed high-profile figures like President Obama and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and contributed to long-term investigations about veterans' issues and the effects of mustard gas testing.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.

Related Content