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US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump and hometown Democrat Beto O’Rourke held competing rallies in El Paso, Texas last night.
In the first dueling rallies of the 2020 campaign season, Trump’s “Finish the Wall” rally in El Paso went head-to-head night against counterprogramming by O’Rourke, a former Democratic congressman and potential Trump rival in 2020, who argued that walls cause more problems than they solve.
At Trump’s event, a BBC cameraman was attacked by by a man shouting “fuck the media”, in an incident that has been condemned by other journalists.
The rallies across the street from each other served as a preview of the heated yearslong fight over the direction of the country.
And they made clear that Trump’s long-promised border wall is sure to play an outsized role in the presidential race, as both sides use it to try to rally their supporters and highlight their contrasting approaches.
Standing in a packed stadium under a giant American flag and banners saying “FINISH THE WALL,” Trump insisted that large portions of the project are already under construction and vowed to fulfill his 2016 campaign promise regardless of what happens in Congress.
“Walls work,” said Trump, whose rally was repeatedly interrupted by protesters. “Walls save lives.”
O’Rourke, meanwhile, held a countermarch with dozens of local civic, human rights and Hispanic groups in his hometown, followed by a protest rally attended by thousands on a baseball field within shouting distance from the arena where Trump spoke.
“With the eyes of the country upon us, all of us together are going to make our stand here in one of the safest cities in America,” O’Rourke said. “Safe not because of walls but in spite of walls.”
More than a half-hour in his rally, Trump had scarcely mentioned immigration, offering just a passing suggestion that those chanting “Build the Wall” switch to “Finish the Wall.”
Instead, he mocked O’Rourke, insisting the Texan has “very little going for himself except he’s got a great first name” and deriding his crowd size, even though both men drew thousands.
“That may be the end of his presidential bid,” Trump quipped, adding: “You’re supposed to win in order to run.”
Trump placed O’Rourke the among the other Democrats who have announced their candidacy, deriding them as “people you have never heard of”.
During his event, Trump repeatedly criticised the media and BBC cameraman Rob Skeans was attacked by a Trump supporter during his speech.
BBC Washington News Editor Eleanor Montague tweeted footage of the attack, saying that the crowd had been “whipped up into a frenzy” by Trump.
The cameraman was not seriously injured.
(Click here if video doesn’t play)
The rallies began moments after negotiators on Capitol Hill announced that lawmakers had reached an agreement in principle to fund the government ahead of a midnight Friday deadline to avoid another shutdown.
Trump appeared oblivious to the deal, saying that he’d been informed by aides that negotiators had made some progress but that he had declined to be fully briefed because he wanted to go on stage.
“I had a choice. I could’ve stayed out there and listened, or I could have come out to the people of El Paso, and Texas, I chose you,” Trump said. “So we probably have some good news. But who knows?”
Trump, who has been threatening to declare a national emergency to bypass Congress, added, “Just so you know, we’re building the wall anyway.”
‘Beto for President 2020′
The countermarch began at a high school about a mile from the baseball field in the shadow of Trump’s rally, its participants streaming past part of the border and the towering metal slats lining it.
Marchers waved handmade signs reading “Fire the Liar,” ”Hate Is Not What Makes America Great” and “Make Tacos, Not Walls.”
Many marchers, and those in the crowd at the ballpark, carried flags reading “Beto for President 2020″.
The Democrat said the event wasn’t only about him — or Trump — but meant to tell the true story of life in El Paso.
“It is going to be the people of the border,” O’Rourke told the crowd before beginning the march, “who will write the next chapter in the history of this great country. Ensuring that our laws and our language and our leaders match our values.”
Trump has repeatedly pointed to El Paso to make his case that a border wall is necessary and has falsely claimed that barriers have turned from one of the nation’s most dangerous to one of its safest.
O’Rourke challenged Trump’s falsehoods during his speech, saying the city is in fact safer because of its immigrant population.
“El Paso has been the safest city in the United States of America not in spite of the fact that we are a city of immigrants, but because we are a city of immigrants,” he said.
- With reporting by Associated Press
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This will literally go on forever, even after the Syrian civil war ends, until Europe gets realistic and deals with this crisis properly instead of allowing or even rewarding illegal immigration.
How do you expect them to deal with it when idiots on here feel like we can build a wall just like Trump. Give them safe passage and temporary stay.
Temporary?! Lol! We can’t even send an ISIS recruiter home
@Jamesdarcy . Stop day dreaming and get real Once there here there here to stay .
Mama ‘the Siren’ Merkel sings her tune and people die..
( According to Homer the Sirens lived on an island near Scylla and Charybdis (traditionally located in the Strait of Messina between Italy and Sicily). Here they awaited passing ships and with their lovely music enticed sailors to their doom. Indeed, the meadows of the Sirens’ home island were said to have been perpetually layered with the rotting corpses of their hapless victims.)
We don’t need to build a wall James, nature gave us the Mediterranean as a natural barrier after all. What we need is for the EU to finally start enforcing that barrier.
The arrangement with Turkey is a smart one, send all immigrants who make the trip back and exchange them for genuine refugees who stayed in camps and followed the correct procedure.
What are you talking about here to stay? They can’t and haven’t. Refugee status entitles you to very little here other than food and refuge. They can’t even get education which is wrong. Do any of you actually look these stats up or just believe each other’s BS?
They will have beautiful Crete ruined as has happened with so many of the other once tranquil Greek isles.
Afghans and Pakistanis burnt down the refugee centre too according to other news sites. Doesn’t tally with the Journals agenda to report it. Going to be great when these lads bring their out dated religions and cultural differences to our streets.
Don’t forget the group of Pakistanis who were the first to be shipped back to Turkey. They were protesting at the thought of being sent back to Turkey. Their argument against being sent back was that the Turkish government would deport them back to Pakistan.
This is how ludicrous the situation is. People who can’t be bothered applying for immigration visas are forcing their way in and then have the gall to protest their deportation.
No one listens to the outdated religion we already have here so not much chance of them listening to any other. But I do question why they would want to come to another country and try change it to suit themselves instead of integrating into our society.
And I wonder why my original comment was deleted…..
Your a racist!
What does the P. as in P.Ennis stand for………… any ideas anybody?
*You’re
It stands for Paul. Sorry about the wrong spelling wereispase.
Any proof that he’s a racist Paul? I’ve seen that word used so much on this site lately that I’m convinced that people don’t know what it means anymore.
‘Racist’ … Lol
No worries Paul. Seeing as there’s an “ist” for almost everything now..I’m a hatesbadspelling-ist.
Jason anyone who disagrees with anyone else is a racist.
P.Ennis, you’re, and he’s not. The term ‘racist’ is played out…no longer shuts people up. You need to find another pretend term of abuse.
Europe is seen as the land of endless free milk and honey….
Mind them sharks.
Europe is being invaded on a scale never seen before . I fear for the future of our kids and grandkids that’s a fact . I hope the Uk leaves the Eu so the northern border mite be harder to waltz across for these parasites..
Damn I am just a normal irish person and could see that a new route was in the coming… oh another country by what ever means or actions is now exporting more people than oil, this needs to stop now and use our naval boats as naval boats not taxis to take them to new places within the eu.
What a regular tragic mess this is now becoming. For the safety of all concerned, I suggest it’s time to blockade the Libyan ports from where these boats come from.
Is there no end to this ? They were obviously going to find a new route, desperate people do desperate things ,we have no idea how lucky we are here
I don’t think has to do with luck, we have developed our societies and our economies in a deliberate and planned way.
I’m not prepared to have that taken away by allowing thousands of unchecked, illegal immigrants to take up residence in Ireland just because I am being made feel guilty by liberals.
Woah woah, Larry, tone down the hate speech. It’s illegal to be anti-mass uncontrolled immigration now.
Raycis!!!
@slimbrowne. Nothing to do with luck . We had our civil war (talking about syria ) 100 years ago and have moved on and evolved from it . These people should stay and try and sort their country out or else who will with help from the EU .
Exactly, I always wonder why people are so quick to say that our success is down to luck or that we should be grateful. The reality is that previous generations worked hard to build the life that we in the West enjoy and current generations work hard to maintain it.
The only ones who should be praising their luck are the ones who don’t contribute in any way.
@slimbrowne . I take it your talking about the syrian war .As soon as they stop fighting and put down their guns life we get back to normal . However i cant see any of them going down to the pub for a pint because of their religion . If your talking about africans from africa it cost them alot of money to get to europe . So would they not be better off investing that money in a business ?
There is no solution to this
yes there is just send them back to the country they came from ? its not rocket science
Im talking about the here and now lads , ur lucky u can sit in ur sitting room and watch tv ,go for a pint,let ur kids out to play and sleep soundly in ur bed , basic things u expect from life
Why is that down to luck ?
I am struck by the generous, open hearted, welcoming and confident outlook of the Irish. We are so humane and compassionate. We seek the best interests of other people. We are true Christians!
So the rest of us non religious folk have to give away our country because you believe it is what your magical sky fairy would of wanted?
Ok….
Our society is already intigrated, It’s a good thing.If you were to spend one week under the same sky as them, and if you were a civilian caught in the middle looking to get their family to safety, you would do the same. It’s a dangerous crossing, but what choice do they have? I welcome the contribution they can make.
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