Trump's first post-assassination attempt rally draws huge crowds
UNIONDALE, Long Island (PIX11) -- The first rally by Donald Trump since the second assassination attempt on his life last weekend had law enforcement on Long Island doing all they could to ensure the safety of the former president, as well as the safety of the massive crowd that came out to show support and possibly gain entry to the event.
People came to the Nassau Coliseum from across the Tri-state region, as well as from much farther afield.
"We took the redeye," said Amy Lee, one of the first people to enter the coliseum's parking lot in order to get in line for the event, referring to an overnight flight. "Got here about 5:00 a.m.," she continued. When asked where she'd come from, her response was terse. "San Diego," she said.
The grounds opened at 8:40 a.m. for the 7:00 p.m. event. An entry line formed immediately, even though doors didn't open until 3:00 p.m.
Tim O'Hanlon was near the front of the line. He said that he's an active member of the Fordham University Young Republicans, and felt it was imperative to attend.
"It's just so historic," he said. "I just want to see it for myself."
He was by no means alone, not by any stretch. Police estimated that at least 50,000 people showed up for the rally, but the coliseum has fewer than 16,000 seats.
To ensure the safety of the tens of thousands of people on-site, the Nassau County Police Department had snipers on every nearby rooftop and had a helicopter in the air. It was the exception to the no-fly zone and was needed in a variety of ways, including when the department received a false report around 9:00 a.m. about explosives and a gun, from a man who was on the perimeter of the coliseum grounds.
"He said he saw something go into the woods" with explosives and a gun, said Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder, in an interview. He said that he'd deployed officers and the helicopter to search. "There was nothing in the wooded area."
The man who'd filed the apparently false report, said Ryder, had also claimed that he was a law enforcement officer training his dog to be a K-9 officer. Neither proved to be true, the commissioner said. Officers have detained the man.
The police also provided security coverage for protesters against Trump.
The New York Democratic Party held one of a variety of demonstrations along the coliseum's southern perimeter. Former Governor David Paterson was among a variety of elected officials at the protest. It was led by Jay Jacobs, the state chair of the Democratic Party.
Jacobs said that the Trump rally would feature Long Island's three Republican congressmen, Anthony D'Esposito, Andrew Garbarino, and Nick LaLota, appearing with the former president. That taints them with voters, said Jacobs, the Democratic Party chair.
"They now own all of the crazy things that Donald Trump says," he said.
As night fell, people kept coming by the hundreds. Even though they could not gain admission to the coliseum, many remained on site to watch the rally on large digital screens posted around the perimeter.