Tampa, Florida (CNN) - A large number of Ron Paul supporters marched through the halls of the Tampa Bay Times Forum, site of the Republican convention, protesting what they feel is unfair treatment by organizers against them.
The group, estimated at several hundred, marched through the upper hallways of the site shouting "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" in protest of the Republican National Committee voting not to seat 10 delegates from Maine and replacing them with pro-Mitt Romney ones. Also 10 alternates were not seated.
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The protesting contingent, which included some delegates, some alternate delegates and supporters, marched through the corridor on the level of the forum above the convention floor.
Maine delegate Bernie Johnson, who backed Paul, told CNN it was in protest "of the injustice" done by the RNC.
READ MORE: Ron Paul supporters put dent in unity at GOP convention
Some of the participants said the demonstration was spontaneous and was not planned in advance. "It just grew," Johnson said.
The group had come to the site to watch a video tribute to Ron Paul and to hear the speech from his son, Rand. After both were done is when they were getting ready to leave and the protest came about. Once they'd made their presence known the group dispersed.
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When your strategy is to suppress the vote and refuse to acknowledge the existence of others with differing views in your own party it is pretty tough to lay claim to being representative of traditional American values.
You had your chance to really change things America. Enjoy your wars and economic collapse.
Oh yeah ...enjoy April 15th for the rest of your lives too.
They censor their own supporters, imagine what they will do to you. The GOP showing its true colors.
Come on do you Ron Paul fans really believe that the republican party is truly concerned about the deficit? You were and are being used for votes for establishment republican snake oil salesmen:)
"Maine delegate Bernie Johnson, who backed Paul, told CNN it was in protest "of the injustice" done by the RNC."
To use one of Paul Ryan's quotes; "Fear and division, it's all they've got." I guess he should look to his own party first ...
Lot of shills on here claiming to be Ron Paul supporters yet have their circumference of their mouth at the base of either Romney's or Obama's shaft. No respectable Ron Paul supporter would be in that position.
This is the oppression that Ron Paul voters hate the most.
Enuff--well said. I am so sick of the juvenile attitudes coming from the GOP. Now they have all the attention and just seem to ignore what is happening right beside them.
Congratulations Romney and the republican party. In a couple of fell swoops in an attempt to grab power and stick it to Ron Paul, you have now infuriated his supporters, libertarians who may have been willing to vote republican, and you've even managed to infuriate the tea party. Because of your desire for power and intolerance for any dissent, you just lost the election. I will not vote for Obama and dislike many of his policies. I wanted to vote republican this election but after seeing how the GOP treats its own people and attempts to muzzle anyone who doesn't get in line, it's not going to happen. I will not throw support behind a party that breaks its own rules and now wants the average person silenced while the leadership of the RNC selects who the nominee will be in the future. This is a mockery of the political process, and is actually incredibly idiotic from the party that needs every vote it can get.
I'm a Ron Paul supporter and can't stand how Romney treated all of us. He won't get my vote now!
After the Rnc steamrolled over Ron Paul I cannot affiliate myself as Gop. I will absolutely will vote for Gary Johnson , libertarian candidate
The Romney campaign can't get ANYTHING right... I Love It!
Why is it that Ron Paul supporters do not feel they can still vote for Ron Paul? Why do People feel they have to settle for Obama or Romney? I support Ron Paul. I wish I would have done more to support him and now, now that he and his following have been treated worse than vermin by the RNC... now I will continue to support him and write him in. When people in the future look back on this election... they will see my vote for Paul. WRITE IN RON PAUL!!!
No dem is going to cross over and vote for romneybama and why should they? They can stay and vote for obamaromney. I would have crossed over for Dr Paul and so would millions of others who love our nation and the U S Constitution.
Ron Paul supporters are nuttier than a jar of Skippy!
I wanted to vote republican this election but after seeing how the GOP treats average american Citizen people and attempts to muzzle anyone who doesn't get in line.
I will Not vote Republican in November !!!!!!!!!!
If your state counts write-ins, write him in. If not, vote Gary Johnson. That way the republicans can measure the damage they've done in votes.
Tally three more votes in my Oregon family for Ron Paul this November instead of Mitt Romney.
The best way to get revenge is to vote for Obama. Obama 2012
This is amazing. Romney can't even govern his own party at the convention. If he succeeds in alienating the Ron Paul contingent, he'll get buried worse than McCain did.
Meh the voting tallying is rigged anyway. Ron Paul would never win, they (the real leaders) would never allow it to happen.
Are they insane? Even if you don't like Dr. Paul you cannot in intellectual conscience alienate such a huge voting block. That is just plain stupidity. What were they thinking? My God why not just hand over the election? Not to mention the impropriety of the rule change, especially at the last minute. Did anyone see the RNC? They were empty compared to the packed Sun Dome that had the Paul rally. I'm just in shock. This is a sure win for the current administration. I'm even considering voting for Gary Johnson at this point. I'm flabbergasted.
I am also a Ron Paul supporter and after tonight's total disrespect of dr Paul I will be voting for Obama.
I guess Ron Paul supporters don't know that the GOP is the property of Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, and the Koch Brothers.
Gary Johnson! He's obviously a long shot, but it will serve the GOP well when they see Gary pull a big chunk of liberty republicans out of their base for this election.