Donald Trump’s rally in Hartford, Conn., drew hundreds of protesters to outside the Connecticut Convention Center event Friday evening.
While 8,000 attendees packed the facility to hear from the GOP front-runner, including a handful of isolated protesters, the majority of demonstrators stayed outside the venue.
Within hours of the Trump campaign’s Wednesday announcement that he would visit the city later in the week, the “All Out to Protest Trump in Hartford” event page was created on Facebook.
“Across the country, Trump’s vile rhetoric has been met with strong protest from Arizona to Pittsburgh to Chicago and New York. Connecticut is next: Say no to Trump’s racist, sexist, anti-worker hate and build a strong, multi-national, united movement to fight back!” the group wrote.
One of the online commenters, Matt Brush, wrote in the group’s comment section, “If you can’t make it to this rally/don’t feel safe enough to go you can also reserve up to 2 seats at the rally here – I will not be attending and have reserved my tickets to ensure Trump will have to speak to at least two empty seats.”
Some of the demonstrators wore costumes while others tried to debate Trump supporters willing to engage in a discussion or all-out yelling match.
Local police said they had 80 officers working the event and cited no arrests by the end of the night.
