San Jose Prepares For Donald Trump Rally, Protests
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is expected to draw 12,000 to 15,000 people to a campaign rally Thursday evening in San Jose and police said they will be placing restrictions on pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the area.
The rally gets underway at 7 p.m. in the South Hall of the San Jose Convention Center at 150 W. San Carlos St. and is scheduled to last until 8:30 p.m.
Trump was last in the Bay Area in late April to speak at the California Republican Convention in Burlingame.
Protesters blocked the hotel where Trump spoke and the candidate had to traverse a ditch and enter the hotel through a back door. Five arrests and a minor injury were reported during the protest at the convention.
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San Jose police said they will respect people expressing their right to protest Thursday.
"We will do everything possible to protect the First Amendment, those attending, our community and our officers," police Chief Eddie Garcia said in a statement.
Starting at noon, police will be closing South Market Street at William Street, Market Street south of West San Carlos Street, South First Street at East San Salvador Street and South Almaden Boulevard at Balbach Street.
Also, the convention center parking garage will be accessible only from South Almaden Boulevard.
Police said the closures are subject to change depending on conditions and that they plan to keep the closures in effect throughout the evening.
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Earlier in the evening in San Jose, union members as well as community activists and religious leaders will gather to demonstrate against what they say has been bigoted and sexist speech by Trump.
The protest is scheduled to get underway at 5:30 p.m. at Plaza de Cesar Chavez at 194 S. Market St. in San Jose. The plaza is about a block from the convention center.
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