Trump News
Festivities underway in advance of Dallas' dueling Trump-Beto rallies
Trump's coming to town and the action is already underway.
President Donald Trump will appear at a campaign rally at American Airlines Center on October 17, and 24 hours in advance, there's a handful of people camped out on the sidewalk outside the venue.
Trump is in Dallas to rally the troops, but his event is not the only one in town.
Democratic Presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke has scheduled a dueling event called the Rally Against Fear, which will take place in Grand Prairie, calling it "an opportunity to stand up what we believe in: a country defined not by fear, but by hope, ambition, aspiration and our willingness to work together, despite the differences, to make sure that we achieve them."
The O'Rourke rally takes place at the Theatre at Grand Prairie at 6 pm. Trump's rally begins at 7 pm.
Trump's arrival is also being met by a group called the Oath Keepers, who announced on their website, and on a site called AmmoLand, that they're seeking volunteers to help "protect Trump supporters" during the Thursday rally.
"We have serious concerns for the safety of attendees as they walk from their vehicles to the venue, and then especially as they walk back to their vehicles in the dark afterward," the post says, before offering alarmed descriptions of "antifa" behavior such as hitting people on the head with a bike lock.
Oath Keepers, which has been described by its founder as "the right-wing version of the ACLU," are likely to be easily identified, as they're big open-carry fans.
According to the Observer, the Democratic Socialists of America's North Texas Chapter and a group called We Vape We Vote will also hold protests outside the Trump rally.
On October 16, Dallas Morning News reporter Jesus Jiminez tweeted photos of people outside AAC who were seemingly camping out overnight in advance of the show rally, some coming in from other cities.
But as one response notes of the sparse crowd, "Lining up this early appears to be completely unnecessary." Another suggests that the only reason campers would be there is if they're getting paid, saying, "Doubt their pay to be there includes hotel accommodations."
