Inside the Protest That Stopped the Trump Rally

From Politico.

What Lewis and dozens of his UIC classmates had planned was perhaps bigger—and better organized—than any protest Trump had faced to date. It had been a week in the making, and now everyone was in place: with roughly 2,500 on the street outside and hundreds more inside, including dozens working directly with Lewis.

This was a well planned protest against Trump's Friday appearance since, at the earliest, Monday;

The first meeting drew about 100 students, many of them campus leaders frustrated that their college had decided to host the Trump rally at all. They launched a “Stop Trump” Facebook page, and, over the weekend, the page had drawn about a thousand likes.

Trump's supporters knew there was going to be a protest, Trump's campaign knew as well;

But standing outside the arena on Friday morning, he did concede that this event felt different, more urgent maybe, more tense—a tension that made him question whether he should stay home. “I’ll admit it,” Klinefelter told me. “I was a little afraid: Should I go?” He—and everyone else in line—had heard reports about a protest in the making in Chicago, and a big one this time. Still, he decided he had to come.

General anger towards Trump's rhetoric and fearful for their own safety, the protesters fully intended on a silent protest and a march outside. The plan grew and grew, well beyond their ability to control;

A thousand protesters or more, organized by other liberal activists and unaffiliated with the UIC students, had already claimed the corner of Harrison and Racine, chanting and waving signs: “Make America Sane Again.” “The whole corner,” the administrator said, “is packed with people.”

But there was no turning back now. Iosbaker, the union leader and elder among them, reminded everyone once again that they were marching in peace.

After the arena was packed to the brim with supporters and protesters alike is when things started going south;

But the peaceful part of the plan was already getting hard to sustain. Across the arena, a few protesters unaffiliated with the UIC group, had been escorted out, prompting chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump.”

The cancellation was announced and things got crazy, real quick;

Trump supporters—some of whom had driven 300 miles to be here—shrieked. Protesters roared in celebration, dropping their charade and whipping out whatever signs they had managed to smuggle inside the arena. And within a minute, Trump supporters at center stage wheeled around to confront the people they believed to be responsible for Trump’s decision to cancel: the young, multi-racial protesters.

I thought this was a spontaneous protest, but this was something that was originally coordinated by UIC students which grew very big, very quick. One thing is clear, Trump isn't welcome in one of the most liberal spots of America. We may not see anything on the scale of Chicago through the next election cycle, but I don't think the protesting will stop.

Here is a report by Roger Stone I just read concerning the part that was organized outside of campus.It is a transcript of an interview so go to the link for more

rinf

. These demonstrators are flying under a false banner. They are not Sanders supporters by-and-large. This is an operation directed by supporters of Hillary Clinton, paid for by George Soros and Move-On, by David Brock at Media Matters for America, also funded by Soros, and also by the reclusive billionaire Jonathan Lewis. Now, Lewis was identified by the Miami New Times as a ‘mystery man.’ He inherited roughly a billion dollars from his father Peter Lewis … [founder of Progressive Insurance Company]. Jonathan Lewis interestingly withdrew his support of the Democratic National Committee over the immigration bill that he thought was unfair to gays. In any event, this is a Hillary Clinton operation.

[Stone continues] Hillary Clinton empowered a certain member of Congress to approach the billionaire John Lewis to pay for a portion of this overall program. This isn’t just Chicago. You’re now going to see these phony demonstrators, these ringers, showing up at other Trump events. … That’s as much as I’m prepared to say. …

Considering the paid for demonstations were partially paid of by Peter Lewis makes one wonder if the Lewis on the college campus was a relative.

a reply to: links234

Thnak you for this background info Link. Most all the other stuff I have read here on ats has been "foaming at the mouth" accusation.

originally posted by: links234
From Politico.

What Lewis and dozens of his UIC classmates had planned was perhaps bigger—and better organized—than any protest Trump had faced to date. It had been a week in the making, and now everyone was in place: with roughly 2,500 on the street outside and hundreds more inside, including dozens working directly with Lewis.

This was a well planned protest against Trump's Friday appearance since, at the earliest, Monday;

The first meeting drew about 100 students, many of them campus leaders frustrated that their college had decided to host the Trump rally at all. They launched a “Stop Trump” Facebook page, and, over the weekend, the page had drawn about a thousand likes.

Trump's supporters knew there was going to be a protest, Trump's campaign knew as well;

But standing outside the arena on Friday morning, he did concede that this event felt different, more urgent maybe, more tense—a tension that made him question whether he should stay home. “I’ll admit it,” Klinefelter told me. “I was a little afraid: Should I go?” He—and everyone else in line—had heard reports about a protest in the making in Chicago, and a big one this time. Still, he decided he had to come.

General anger towards Trump's rhetoric and fearful for their own safety, the protesters fully intended on a silent protest and a march outside. The plan grew and grew, well beyond their ability to control;

A thousand protesters or more, organized by other liberal activists and unaffiliated with the UIC students, had already claimed the corner of Harrison and Racine, chanting and waving signs: “Make America Sane Again.” “The whole corner,” the administrator said, “is packed with people.”

But there was no turning back now. Iosbaker, the union leader and elder among them, reminded everyone once again that they were marching in peace.

After the arena was packed to the brim with supporters and protesters alike is when things started going south;

But the peaceful part of the plan was already getting hard to sustain. Across the arena, a few protesters unaffiliated with the UIC group, had been escorted out, prompting chants of “Trump, Trump, Trump.”

The cancellation was announced and things got crazy, real quick;

Trump supporters—some of whom had driven 300 miles to be here—shrieked. Protesters roared in celebration, dropping their charade and whipping out whatever signs they had managed to smuggle inside the arena. And within a minute, Trump supporters at center stage wheeled around to confront the people they believed to be responsible for Trump’s decision to cancel: the young, multi-racial protesters.

I thought this was a spontaneous protest, but this was something that was originally coordinated by UIC students which grew very big, very quick. One thing is clear, Trump isn't welcome in one of the most liberal spots of America. We may not see anything on the scale of Chicago through the next election cycle, but I don't think the protesting will stop.

Well, well, well. Some signs of genuine debate and disagreement after all, wonderful to see.