On Oct. 26, presidential candidate Donald Trump came to State College and rallied at the Bryce Jordan Center. Doors opened at noon, lines began forming around 9 a.m., and Trump didn’t show up until 5 p.m. Given that Pennsylvania is a swing state, many students and people around were either going to the Trump rally or protesting against it.
VALLEY gathered information from people who attended the event or observed the protest atmosphere around it, as it’s essential for the election.
Penn State student organizations and groups were protesting, marching through downtown and other areas of State College.
Some protester signs read things such as, “Fight back, shut down racist people’s revolution,” while state troopers on horseback positioned themselves between sides to prevent escalation.
“I was driving to go grocery shopping, and the police had blocked off the main road outside of campus, so I couldn’t find a way out,” said a State College student. “Protesters were standing on the bridge, with a clear view to the public.”
“When going in, the protesters were mostly peaceful and wanted to spread awareness of their beliefs,” said a State College student.
What Was Discussed?
He started by asking the question, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” His main policies addressed at the rally were the economy, energy independence, crime, and border security.
“The reason I went to his rally is because I believe many recurring issues are being talked about. International open borders are not only an issue for border states, but also for many sanctuary cities, and coming into a country legally is beyond understanding,” said an attendee of the rally.
The Atmosphere
“It felt joyful and unified with supporters; people were willing to chat,” said an attendee of the rally. “The crowd had the strongest reactions to topics such as crime, border issues, and economic inflation.”
Let @VALLEYmag on X know what you think and remember to vote!
