On February 20, 2020, Donald Trump came to the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs, CO to gather supporters. More than 10,000 people came, but only 8,000 were actually able to fit into the stadium. I was one of those 10,000.

Driving toward the arena was a hassle. There were roads blocked off for the event. Even just getting off of I-25, the traffic was horrible. The parking lot specifically for the rally was full and parking lots nearby were also full. Several cars were towed for parking in illegal spots.

I ended up looking for a parking spot for around half an hour and found one by a movie theater nearby. I finally got in line at 2:30 pm. 

While walking towards the arena, I saw hundreds of protestors opposing thousands of Trump supporters. It was extremely loud; protesters were chanting, “Impeach Trump! Impeach Trump!”

When I heard the protesters chanting, I was kind of scared that a fight was going to break out between them and Trump supporters, but everyone was pretty respectful of each other’s opinions and nothing bad happened.

Some people were also making the best of the rally. There were stands selling pro- and anti-Trump merchandise. The staging area was roped off to form a long, snake-like line. There were around 30 rows, each the length of a city block. The line was even longer than a busy airport line. 

 At this point,  the officers were already letting crowds of people in. Surprisingly, while waiting in line, there was no squabbling, littering, or line-cutting. It was just a group of happy people standing in the freezing weather, knowing they may or may not get in. 

“It was super cold and crowded but I talked to a bunch of people around us and it was really nice to see so many people there to support him and meet other people with similar political views,” said senior Reaghan Dougherty.

Next to the line, there was a big screen showing the view of the camera inside the arena. It showed the president’s podium and people who had already gotten in. At least people could watch it from outside if they didn’t get in.

When I was in line, I kept getting closer and closer to the entrance staircase. Parents in line with their children began to leave because of the wait and cold weather. It was extremely loud.

Security guards were walking around saying people could not take food, drinks, lighters, chairs, or weapons inside the stadium, so people made a pile of their belongings that they couldn’t take in. Soon enough, a huge pile of lawn chairs, tents, trail mix, and lighters built up next to the line.

As I was in line, I heard someone yell, “We need medical!” Some of the officers rushed over to that person. Someone had slipped on ice and hit their nose on a pole, but they were soon escorted away by paramedics.

After that happened, someone found an area where the police tape was ripped off, leading straight to the gate right by the staircase entrance. Crowds of people stampeded over there and realized it wasn’t the front of the line. People were begging the officers to let them in from that area, but the officers didn’t let them through.

At last, I eventually got to the front of the line, when the officer shouted, “The arena is full; we will not be letting anyone in.” At this point, it was around 5:30 pm. People were angered and were shouting at the officers to let them in, but there was nothing the officers could do; the arena was full.

I waited a little longer with a couple of hundred other people to see if there was still a possible chance I could get let in. While waiting, I saw a group of police officers with riot shields forcing protesters against Trump off the property. 

At this point, I had given up. It had been an hour since they stopped letting people in. I got my lawn chair and watched the president come on stage through the big screen. As it got colder, I left. When I left, though, there were still a couple of hundred people watching it through the screen. 

It was very inspiring to spend the day with fellow citizens, so committed to their country, and although I could not make it into the arena and actually see the president talk in person, it was a fun learning experience.