Phoenix Prepares for Large Crowds Ahead of Trump Rally

Authorities in the city of Phoenix are expecting large crowds of U.S. President Donald Trump's supporters, as well as protesters, at a campaign-style rally Tuesday night, and they say they are prepared to handle the event with no disruptions.

Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams told reporters the city has played host to large, heated political rallies in the past and the city has been working with several groups expected to show up, both in support and in opposition of the president.

She said the police have direct lines of communication with the groups, in order to work with them to ensure their ability to "exercise their First Amendment rights."

"We've done this before," she said. "This is not new for us."

Trump's response to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last week, in which he said "both sides" deserved partial blame for the violence that led up to a woman's death, has been criticized by many and has served as a catalyst for many of the groups planning to protest Trump's appearance.

Trump has criticized media coverage of his remarks, saying on Twitter that news outlets "totally misrepresent what I say about hate, bigotry," and arguing that no matter what he says, "the fake news media will never be satisfied."

Request to postpone visit

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, a Democrat, has asked Trump to postpone the rally for fear of violence breaking out between Trump supporters and protesters, but Trump has given no indication he plans to honor Stanton's wishes.

"America is hurting. And it is hurting largely because Trump has doused racial tensions with gasoline," Stanton wrote in an op-ed published Monday in the Washington Post. "With his planned visit to Phoenix on Tuesday, I fear the president may be looking to light a match."

Those planning to protest the Trump rally include a large number of left-wing activist groups angry about his response to the Charlottesville tragedy, but also a Native American group and groups that oppose Trump's immigration and environmental policies, as well as the communist Antifa group, which is known for using violence to silence its political opponents.

Facebook event posts for around 10 protest groups show that approximately 4,400 people say they plan on attending demonstrations, according to research conducted by VOA. Some will gather at the convention center where Trump is speaking, while others will march from the city's churches.

Police stand ready

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery warned that police will not tolerate violence from the protesters and "prosecutors will be ready to use all applicable laws to hold people accountable for their actions."

"It does not matter which group or creed you affiliate with. If you engage in violence, you will subject to arrest and prosecution," he said during the Monday press conference.

The Arizona Governor's Office has said around 100 Arizona National Guard military police will be on call should things get out of hand, but they will not be involved in direct crowd control operations.

Williams said her force will be at "maximum staffing during the visit," and the department is "working 24/7 with our partners to ensure all of our resources are in place."

Governor Doug Ducey, a Republican, plans to greet Trump at the airport when he arrives in Phoenix on Tuesday evening, but he will not be in attendance at the rally.

Neither of Arizona's two Republican senators plan on attending the Trump rally, as Trump has engaged in public spates with both Senator John McCain and Senator Jeff Flake in recent weeks.

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