SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — As President Donald Trump launched his tax reform campaign in Springfield, Missouri thousands of people lined different streets throughout the city.
Some held signs in support of the president and his campaign to lower and simplify taxes. Others held signs against the president and his policies.
These 11 and 13-year olds watched the motorcade in awe. "I didn't think I would see it," said John Michael @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/0QN9VE1Dfb
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) August 30, 2017
Both groups had promised there would be no violence — and Wednesday, they delivered.
Mobilizing Supporters and Protestors
After Trump announced his Springfield visit, Indivisible Springfield started to organize a protest online calling it "The People’s Protest."
Suzanne Walker joined the group Wednesday, marching down Glenstone Avenue as she held a sign that read “protect birth control access.”
“Strength in numbers. This is our country and we need to do something about this,” she said.
Mike Daugherty agreed. He drove four hours and stood with others chanting “love trump hates” and “people united, will never be divided.”
“The number of people, it’s fantastic,” Daugherty said.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters also assembled as close to the manufacturer as they could.
Carmen Claypool drove nearly three hours from Jefferson City to see the president. She arrived in Springfield early Wednesday waving a gigantic American flag.
“I am a first-generation immigrant and I want to show the world that women, immigrants, Republicans, and conservatives, we stand behind our president and all of his policies,” she said grinning ear-to-ear. x
Another update from Springfield. We've finally made it to the Trump supporter rally @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/FscvB2CcNd
— Ariel Rothfield KSHB (@arothfield) August 30, 2017
Many of the president’s supporters donned red hats with his signature “Make America Great Again” slogan. They also waived American Flags, held signs that said "fix the rate" and cheered when they saw the president’s motorcade turn the corner.
“I saw Trump go down in the black limo which was the motorcade, which was awesome. I just saw history happen,” said 11-year-old John Michael Hope, who watched in awe.
No violence
A spokeswoman with the Springfield Police Department tells 41 Action News the department is “very pleased with how everything went” Wednesday.
Officers did not make any arrests in connection to the various protests and rallies. Additionally, the department did not receive any complaints or reports of issues with protestors.
“We are here to say we support our president, we support what is going on but we don’t in any way want to see people who are aggressive towards each other,” said Rob Ross, who attended the Patriots Protecting Trump rally.
Before Wednesday, organizers with the two groups had been in communication. On Tuesday night, several members sat down around a table for the first time and invited 41 Action News to join the discussion.
“Thirty years ago the Republicans and Democrats would yell and scream and vote and measures were passed by narrow margins. Then they all took their families out to an ice-cream social,” said Dr. Roger Ray of Emerging Church in Springfield.
“We are individuals but we are all Americans. I think that peacefully with our minds, we can come together and make things happen. We can change this country and really make it a better place to live,” added Nathan McGee, a Marine Corps Veteran.
Ray and McGee both protested Trump and his policies Wednesday. Ross rallied in support of the president.
“Nationwide when we think of protests we think this,” Ross said while smashing his hands together. “This is what I want people to see instead.”
