Trump's dangerous game in VT: issues 20,000 tix for 1400 seat venue. Police not happy

[cali]

Sanders’ hometown braces for Trumpnado
Campaign gives out 20,000 tickets for 1,400-seat theater.

BURLINGTON, VT. — The city of Burlington is scrambling to react to Donald Trump’s decision to issue close to 20,000 tickets for a Thursday night rally at a theater that seats only 1,400 people.

Anticipating overflow crowds and a number of planned protests, the city’s police department took the unusual step on Friday of issuing a lengthy statement warning in part, “We reserve the prerogative to enforce the law in cases where expression or free movement throughout the city is unreasonably stifled through intimidation, force, obstruction, destruction of property, etc., or any other unlawful act.”


The campaign’s decision to issue tens of thousands of extra tickets comes after reports that supporters of Bernie Sanders — the city’s onetime mayor whose presidential campaign headquarters sits across a park from the site of Thursday’s rally — and other progressives have been requesting tickets en masse in an attempt to leave seats empty and embarrass Trump. Political campaigns, including Trump’s, regularly issue more tickets for events than venues can hold to account for no-shows, but the scale of this overflow ticketing is extraordinary.


<snip>


The department’s warning only contributes to locals’ expectation that Thursday night’s rally will create a brouhaha here like nothing in recent memory. “That’s basically unprecedented for the police to issue a statement like that,” said former Burlington city councilor Ed Adrian.


<snip>
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/01/donald-trump-bernie-sanders-burlington-vermont-217426

<snip>

Outside the venue, city officials are concerned after learning the Trump campaign issued far more free tickets than there are available seats. As of midday Wednesday, police said the campaign had distributed about 20,000.

“I wonder if the Trump campaign took into account the safety of the police officers who have to contend with large, dissatisfied crowds,” Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo said. “This situation would place police officers in needless confrontations with citizenry.”

Del Pozo said the fact that the event provides residents the opportunity to listen to a major political candidate is the only reason police are allowing Trump to speak as scheduled.

“If Phish was holding a free concert at the Flynn and gave away 20,000 free tickets, we would cancel the event out of public safety concerns,” the chief said. “We are committed to accommodating the campaign because political speech is the very essence of the First Amendment.”

<snip>
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2016/01/06/police-raise-concerns-over-trump-event/78302990/

Trump visit spurs differing protest plans

http://www.timesargus.com/article/20160105/NEWS01/160109816/1003

[woodsprite]

1. He's a carnival barker. n/t

[GoneFishin]

2. No doubt the type of judgement we could expect from a "President Trump" also.

[B Calm]

3. The police should cancel the event.

[patricia92243]

5. Can they do that? It is a political rally. The police could cancel any rally they did not agree

with. Republicans would have a field day with that one.

As it is, Trump will be overjoyed with the yet again free publicity.

[B Calm]

7. The police responsibility are for the public safety.

[Lars39]

10. Tickets issued versus seating? Any other type venue wouldn't be allowed to do that.

[cali]

8. I agree. This is potentially dangerous.

[demmiblue]

21. I also agree. n/t

[sufrommich]

22. The police should just stop anyone entering after 1400

have entered. If they cancel Trump becomes a victim and the conspiracy theories go viral.I can hear Alex Jones screaming already.

[cali]

23. That's the plan

[B Calm]

27. Good, I'm sure Trump will agree with safety issues and not make an ass out of himself.

[cali]

28. ......

In an alternate universe.

[B Calm]

29. LOL

[global1]

4. What Is Trump's Strategy In The First Place To Speak In Burlington?.....

Is he looking to create problems that he can later expound on in his crazy way?

Is he looking to embarrass Bernie or himself with this stunt?

[cali]

6. I don't know. I suspect it's about publicity.

[GoneFishin]

9. Probably. If he creates a menace he'll spin it to make himself look good. I hope 11 people show up.

[BuelahWitch]

37. I wouldn't be surprised if that's not the plan

He'll likely bus people in since he's not popular in Vermont.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

11. Don't cancel, but police should tell them

To locate another venue.

[handmade34]

13. yes, like someplace in Alabama, or...!

I'm just sorry I'm out of state working or I'd be there to see the fun

[cali]

17. There are no large venues in Vermont.

[global1]

19. That's What I Would Do - Transfer The Event To A Venue That Can Accommodate 20,000 People....

if there is such a place in Burlington. Then when only a small amount of people show up and the venue looks empty - make sure the press is there to take pics and tell what a flop he is in Vermont.

[cali]

20. The biggest venue in Vermont holds 4,000 people

Gutterson Fieldhouse is a 4,035-seat hockey arena in Burlington, Vermont. It is home to the Vermont Catamounts men's and women's ice hockey teams. It is the largest indoor arena in the state of Vermont
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutterson_Fieldhouse

[Nuclear Unicorn]

12. That Trump can sell 20,000 tickets in deep blue VT is what scares me. Yesterday I saw pics

from one of his events in Massachusetts and the stadium was packed to capacity.

[handmade34]

14. not sell, give away...

http://www.whdh.com/story/30906490/police-say-trump-issues-20k-tickets-for-1400-seat-vt-venue

[Nuclear Unicorn]

15. Irrelevant to my point.

[handmade34]

16. I understand...

but I think a lot of tickets going (only 6500 so far) are to protestors... should be interesting

[newfie11]

24. I hope so

Would be great if the protestors were the only ones to show up.

[cali]

18. Many have been taken by protesters. Read the op.

[Luminous Animal]

43. Quite a few Bernie suppporters snagged them.

[cali]

25. There's already a line. First person got there at 4:30 this morning and is a protester

A deli next door to the theater has a Trump sandwich; baloney on white bread with white American cheese for $20.16.

[KamaAina]

26. I can't wait for his treasury secretary (Bernie Madoff?) to start issuing Monopoly money

[Rex]

30. He wants to start a riot so then he can blame it on Bernie Sanders backers.

Trump is a rotten scoundrel.

[ChisolmTrailDem]

31. How the fuck is "political speech [is] the very essence of" free speech? How is political speech...

...or anything a stupid politician has to say given more stature that what the speech of an musical artist, or any other speaker?

If you ask me, overall, political speech is the grittiest, most low-down, dirty, gutter, and unsophisticated of all speech. And so are (most of) those who spew it!

[mwrguy]

32. supporters of Bernie Sanders... requesting tickets en masse in an attempt to leave seats empty

Does anyone believe that they haven't done the same thing at Hillary rallies?

[cali]

33. Huh? That's just nutty. No one believes that and you don't have a scrap of evidence.

You're simply doing a nasty, loony smear of Sanders supporters.

[B Calm]

34. You pull that out of thin air or do you have proof?

[Initech]

35. D'oh!!!

[cali]

36. Link to live coverage of the rally

https://m.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

39. Marking for later.

[moondust]

38. Deliberately creating havoc

by overloading resources?

Possibly, but I don't know what he thinks he has to gain by it.

[B Calm]

42. He'll play this his way and the msm will give him all the press coverage he wants.

[flamingdem]

40. In his dreams Trump sees this:

[Takket]

41. well, 1400 are for Trump supporters, the rest were mailed to illegal immigrants to lure

them all into one place.

[link:|