Donald Trump was in the Commonwealth Friday. As part of a busy campaign weekend, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee made a pit stop in Richmond for a fundraiser and rally.
Trump began with a compliment for the city.
“Oh, but I know all about Richmond, you know we set this up yesterday,” Trump said “We’ve had one day and look at this, I mean it’s amazing.”
That one-day’s-notice provided a crowd eager to hear what Donald Trump had to say. The loudest applause from the night came from Trump's call to build a wall between the United States and Mexico.
“Mexico, they’re destroying us! They’re killing us at the border, they’re killing us on trade,” said Trump.
Though loud, the group didn’t look particularly impressive. Richmond’s Coliseum seats 12,000, and the stadium’s upper stands were completely empty. A fairly small group stood packed in front of the podium.
Outside, about 200 protesters marched through the city’s downtown. But they did little to convince Vanessia Barnett, a Trump supporter, that she shouldn't vote for the businessman.
“And I think the government should be run by a business,” Barnett says. “And, you know, I think jeopardizing four years is well worth it just to give a businessman a chance.”
A scuffle between protesters and Trump supporters led to a single arrest.