Protesters block main road to Trump rally in Arizona

[rooster59]

Protesters block main road to Trump rally in Arizona

NICHOLAS RICCARDI, Associated Press
JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press


PHOENIX (AP) — Protesters blocked a main highway leading into the Phoenix suburb Saturday where Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump was staging a campaign rally alongside Arizona's contentious sheriff, Joe Arpaio.

For hours, the protesters — about two dozen in total — parked their cars in the middle of the road, unfurling banners reading "Dump Trump" and "Must Stop Trump," and chanting "Trump is hate." Traffic was backed up for miles, with drivers honking in fury.

The road was eventually cleared and protesters marched down the highway to the rally site, weaving between Trump supporters who booed and jeered them.

"Learn to speak English," one Trump supporter shouted at the protesters. "You can't even show your face," another pro-Trump attendee said to a protester with a bandanna over her face.

Arizona is the next major state to vote in the presidential nominating contest. The winner of its primary on Tuesday will receive all 58 of the state's delegates to the Republican national convention.

Trump and Arpaio who share hard-line immigration policies have formed a political alliance in recent months, and the billionaire hopes Arizona can serve as a model on how he could win in November.

The tough-talking lawman won six straight elections as sheriff of Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix and nearly two-thirds of Arizona's population. He forced jail inmates to wear pink underwear and live outside in tents during triple-digit heat. Arpaio launched dragnets to round up people in the country who were in the country illegally, and a judge ruled that his operations illegally targeted Latinos. Arpaio then launched an investigation that critics contend ended up targeting the judge.

In Fountain Hills, thousands gathered for the outdoor rally in the suburb where Arpaio lives. Officers with the sheriff's department were posted throughout the park, on rooftops and on patrol. Officers wearing bulletproof vests stood alongside a Humvee with a gun turret on top.

Trump told the crowd that he is "winning by massive landslides" and vowed to rebuild the military and build a border wall with Mexico. He drew cheers from the crowd when he vowed to protect the Second Amendment guaranteeing the right to bear arms — which for pro-gun Arizona is a particularly important issue.

He never acknowledged the earlier blockade or the protesters in the crowd.

As Trump looks toward the general election, Arpaio and Arizona — the next major state to vote in the presidential nominating contest — show how conservative populists can thrive even in states with growing minority populations. Arizona votes Tuesday in a winner-take-all Republican primary as well as a Democratic race.

Earlier Saturday, about 50 protesters gathered outside the Phoenix Convention Center where Fox News host Sean Hannity was set to interview Trump. They held signs, played music and made speeches, calling Trump "despicable" and "a fascist." One of them, Salvador Reza, said: "He's working to create division."

Trump supporters trickled through protesters and security to attend — many wearing red, white and blue.

Jason Kitson, 41, from Phoenix, said Trump's hardline stance on immigration is what's needed in Arizona to prevent cross-border drug and human smuggling.

Kitson said the wall Trump vows to build all along the Mexican border may or may not be realistic, but it "is getting people's attention."

Several thousand miles away in New York, demonstrators also took to the streets to protest the Republican presidential hopeful.

The protesters gathered Saturday in Manhattan's Columbus Circle, across from Central Park, with a heavy police presence. Demonstrators chanted: "Donald Trump, go away, racist, sexist, anti-gay."

They marched across south Central Park to Trump Tower, the Fifth Avenue skyscraper where Trump lives. Then they marched back to Columbus Circle for a rally.

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-20

[lust]

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[NeverSure]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

[mopar71]

I'm sure a lot of people across the political spectrum were inconvenienced by the idiots blocking the highway. The cops should have brought in the tow trucks and impounded their vehicles.

[NeverSure]

There were a few dozen protesters at the most, with a half-dozen cars blocking the road. With as many people as they backed up down the highway I was a bit surprised that the protesters didn't get hurt. I could see a few guys walking up to each car, lifting it, and throwing it over the guard rail.

But - nothing much happened. Just a bunch of lawless Democrats as usual.

[lovelomsak]

These protesters are not very American in my eyes.Gives good arquement to what Trump says,things like a wall etc. In the land of the free violence to get your way seems to really be on the increase. I quess it is the right to be civil disobeient,I am sure they can find a civil rights lawyer would say that. I know I will be bashed for this but are these white guys that are doing these criminal acts or others?.Just curious.

[Hayduke]

The timing here is of interest. As soon as DT takes a commanding lead all of these protesters magically appear.

Gee...who might be sponsoring this?

The Democrats seem quite content with a DT candidacy so it wouldn't seem they're behind it.

So it begs the question: Who has the greatest interest in stopping a candidate who is not up to his neck in debt to the Republican ruling class?

Hmmm...tough one.

[Pinot]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

Oh there is a real problem. This pic is the Republicans biggest problem. When pathetic racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorses and is brought onstage to speak to your minions, there is a problem.

Trump is a racist xenophobic air-head buffoon. People should be protesting his every move. Trump is a stain on America.

[SgtRock]

Only 8 posts in for the race & xenophobe card to be played.

Get over it. That card has now lost any meaning.

[connda]

Only 8 posts in for the race & xenophobe card to be played.

Get over it. That card has now lost any meaning.

Unfortunately, the new face of those supporting the Democratic Party seem to be to invoke Trump-as-Hitler while using Sturmabteilung SA Brown Shirt tactics to stop Trump supporters from gaining access to Trump rallies, or to shut them down all together. That's right out of the Sturmabteilung's play-book.

Remember. Nazi = The Social Democratic Party of Germany circa 1930s. "But they were different." It sure doesn't seem that way to me, am I'm not even Republican. You couldn't pay me to belong to either party, especially now. They are both an embarrassment to the United States.

I would not doubt that there are progressive liberals expats out there who want all posts supporting Trump on TV to be banned as racist, xenophobic, and inciteful. Might be interesting to start a TV poll.

[sungod]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

Oh there is a real problem. This pic is the Republicans biggest problem. When pathetic racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorses and is brought onstage to speak to your minions, there is a problem.

Trump is a racist xenophobic air-head buffoon. People should be protesting his every move. Trump is a stain on America.

Or maybe just simply let the people of America vote for their next president?

[SheungWan]

so the demonstrators put up 'er ... a wall.

[Rancid]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

Oh there is a real problem. This pic is the Republicans biggest problem. When pathetic racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorses and is brought onstage to speak to your minions, there is a problem.

Trump is a racist xenophobic air-head buffoon. People should be protesting his every move. Trump is a stain on America.

Or maybe just simply let the people of America vote for their next president?

The people do indeed vote, but do they make objective informed choices, or are they manipulated via moneyed advertising and clever psychology for the establishments preselected candidate?

[iReason]

The bloviator's staunch supporter Arizona ex-Gov. Jan Brewer who took the stage along with Arpaio.

Caught out here fabricating outrageous lies of "be-headings" in the Arizona desert.

Brewer makes Sarah Palin look like Einstein.

[lannarebirth]

^ Believe it.

[sungod]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

Oh there is a real problem. This pic is the Republicans biggest problem. When pathetic racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorses and is brought onstage to speak to your minions, there is a problem.

Trump is a racist xenophobic air-head buffoon. People should be protesting his every move. Trump is a stain on America.

Or maybe just simply let the people of America vote for their next president?

The people do indeed vote, but do they make objective informed choices, or are they manipulated via moneyed advertising and clever psychology for the establishments preselected candidate?

Yes, a large part of democracy is to fool the voters, happens all the time in 'certain' countries

[iReason]

@Post #15

Oh, look!

A T.V. show

"Months after initially making the claim that undocumented immigrants were beheading people in the Arizona desert, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer ® has finally admitted that she was wrong."

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/09/05/117461/brewer-admits-wrong/

Believe it...

[lovelomsak]

The ulterative to Trump seems to be thug,fascist,violent and speech policing people. Who would most people rather have?

[Andaman Al]

Wow these stories from the USA sound just like when the redshirts would not allow yellow shirt politicians to rally or deliver speeches in the North to try and gain votes.

For all those that think it ok to block Trump from attending a perfectly legal gathering and that the protestors should not face any prosecution then clearly the US are respecting the protestors constitutional rights a lot more than the protestors are respecting the constitutional rights of Trump. The Irony.

[Jingthing]

I passionately detest the American fascist Trumpist movement but I certainly don't support attempts to block his rallies. That just plays into his propaganda. He's a super troll and if you do that you've been successfully baited. Protests yes but not like that.

[CWMcMurray]

I passionately detest the American fascist Trumpist movement but I certainly don't support attempts to block his rallies. That just plays into his propaganda. He's a super troll and if you do that you've been successfully baited. Protests yes but not like that.

Each his own opinion and vote and the freedom to voice that opinion in hopes of convincing the undecided or to change the opinion of the decided

That is the beauty of the system or at least that is the way it should be...

[blazes]

Seems clear to me that the person who has the most to gain from these protests is Trump himself. "Why not," says some clever bell-end in his campaign staff, "block the roads with some paid volunteers we can rustle up. Get all the people angry....tell the media these awful people are out to stifle free speech...worth a few more votes...let's give it a try."

[grumpyoldman]

Seems clear to me that the person who has the most to gain from these protests is Trump himself. "Why not," says some clever bell-end in his campaign staff, "block the roads with some paid volunteers we can rustle up. Get all the people angry....tell the media these awful people are out to stifle free speech...worth a few more votes...let's give it a try."

Don't let this right-whinger propaganda take hold my friend. What it's doing is showing the country how divisive Trump is. Everyone is dead dog tired of bipartisanship.

On the Gone Old Party side, chaos headed by the Pompadour Pompous Dufus himself, snide snickering and childish name calling during the debates. On the otherside Hilary, as cool as the underside of a pillow, she and Bernie actually debated policies and the direction of the nation.

No these protests are making the GOP look bad, real bad, and don't forget the aftertaste of the GW Bush disaster of a presidency is still in people's mouths.

[Neurath]

Protesters should be treated as protesters. Not liked but tolerated by some, liked and encouraged by others. Violent protesters should be treated as violent persons interrupting the filming of The Apprentice or any other - what do they call them? - Reality TV show. Using violence or behaving violently when interrupting these events is useless, counterproductive and, yes, quite antithetical to the democratic spirit that animates both their organizers and their participants. Shame on them. Entrenching and energizing the current polarization with violence is the road to perdition and disaster.

[mopar71]

These protesters are not very American in my eyes.Gives good arquement to what Trump says,things like a wall etc. In the land of the free violence to get your way seems to really be on the increase. I quess it is the right to be civil disobeient,I am sure they can find a civil rights lawyer would say that. I know I will be bashed for this but are these white guys that are doing these criminal acts or others?.Just curious.

The "violence to get your way" is not a racial thing...

[slipperylobster]

Had to laugh.

These antagonistic buffoon protests are only making borderline Trumpeteers more steadfast in their support. Nobody is attacking these people (perhaps two out of countless thousands)

If you look at the ones in New York, you see basically the fringe elements of society. Barely legal immigrants, and lazy people that are afraid that Trump will make them work for a check.

Go Trump (fist pump). Put the jobs back and take these people off foodstamps and welfare. Make the thugs work. Tell Mexico to take all their illegals back and have them build a wall they cannot climb. Get the right papers.....just like the rest of us have to do, when we go abroad.

dimwits.

[Kabula]

"Protesters criminals block main road to Trump rally in Arizona."

Yes, but the locals knew how to get around roadblocks and Trump had a big rally with about 20,000 people there. It went just fine.

Then in the afternoon he had another in Tucson, Arizona with another good crowd. No real problems.

Cheers.

Oh there is a real problem. This pic is the Republicans biggest problem. When pathetic racist Sheriff Joe Arpaio endorses and is brought onstage to speak to your minions, there is a problem.

Trump is a racist xenophobic air-head buffoon. People should be protesting his every move. Trump is a stain on America.

As history has confirmed similar air heads aka pin heads aka chicken necks promoted Hitler and most died or were left with no food, water, shelter, nor infer structure. Be careful what you wish for!

[Neurath]

Had to laugh.

These antagonistic buffoon protests are only making borderline Trumpeteers more steadfast in their support. Nobody is attacking these people (perhaps two out of countless thousands)

If you look at the ones in New York, you see basically the fringe elements of society. Barely legal immigrants, and lazy people that are afraid that Trump will make them work for a check.

Go Trump (fist pump). Put the jobs back and take these people off foodstamps and welfare. Make the thugs work. Tell Mexico to take all their illegals back and have them build a wall they cannot climb. Get the right papers.....just like the rest of us have to do, when we go abroad.

dimwits.

<deleted> is a barely legal immigrant? Is that like a new one? Anyway, I like the term Trumpeteers, but prefer to think of them as Rusty Trumboners.

[mopar71]

Only 8 posts in for the race & xenophobe card to be played.

Get over it. That card has now lost any meaning.

Unfortunately, the new face of those supporting the Democratic Party seem to be to invoke Trump-as-Hitler while using Sturmabteilung SA Brown Shirt tactics to stop Trump supporters from gaining access to Trump rallies, or to shut them down all together. That's right out of the Sturmabteilung's play-book.

Remember. Nazi = The Social Democratic Party of Germany circa 1930s. "But they were different." It sure doesn't seem that way to me, am I'm not even Republican. You couldn't pay me to belong to either party, especially now. They are both an embarrassment to the United States.

I would not doubt that there are progressive liberals expats out there who want all posts supporting Trump on TV to be banned as racist, xenophobic, and inciteful. Might be interesting to start a TV poll.

While reading your post I thought to myself,"I don't remember writing that" then looking at your profile pic I realized I didn't.

Oh, btw, great post.

[mopar71]

Protesters should be treated as protesters. Not liked but tolerated by some, liked and encouraged by others. Violent protesters should be treated as violent persons interrupting the filming of The Apprentice or any other - what do they call them? - Reality TV show. Using violence or behaving violently when interrupting these events is useless, counterproductive and, yes, quite antithetical to the democratic spirit that animates both their organizers and their participants. Shame on them. Entrenching and energizing the current polarization with violence is the road to perdition and disaster.

100% guaranteed that if protesters showed up to shut down Bernie or Hillary from speaking the media would NOT be talking about how they are exercising their right to free speech and the media would NOT legitimize them by calling them "protesters".