ATLANTA, Georgia – As with his other indictments, supporters turned out for former President Donald Trump as he reported to face charges by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’s grand jury for questioning the integrity of the 2020 election in Georgia, where just 11,779 votes separated Trump and Joe Biden.
Hours before Trump’s scheduled appearance at the Fulton County Jail at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, hundreds of his supporters could be found on the narrow, tree-lined streets in the couple of blocks surrounding the Fulton County government and jail facilities.
Marker plates from as far as Florida, Texas, and several of Georgia’s counties were observed on vehicles parked on the curbed edge of the roads.
Three women, originally from Thailand and now residents of Georgia who did not know each other previously, were passionate about their support for Trump. They told The Star News Network that Trump is sacrificing himself for the people.
Another woman, holding a U.S. constitution (pictured as headline image), was animated as she live-streamed a message in Spanish.
And, a fixture at virtually all Trump events, Uncle Sam entertained supporters and reporters alike.
Professor Toto and several members of “Toto’s Army” drove the eight hours from Gulfport, Mississippi, and were there since 10 a.m. to show their support for Trump.
Very noticeable was the law enforcement presence. In addition to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, there were several vehicles and members of the Cobb, DeKalb, and Gwinnett County sheriff’s departments and officers from the South Fulton and Atlanta police departments. Numerous law enforcement vehicles were used to block the roadways into the jail area.
Additionally, barricades were set up across the road from the front entrance to the jail. The area served as an overflow area for media as well as supporters.
At the airport, motorcade vehicles, including a police motorcycle escort, were assembled more than two hours before Trump’s arrival on Trump Force One at Signature Aviation’s private aviation terminal located at Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
In addition to several of the trademark black SUVs, the motorcade included two multi-passenger livery vans to accommodate about 14 invited press members, including The Star News Network.
Once Trump Force One landed, the press pool walked under the belly of the Boeing 757 to await Trump’s descent via the mobile stairway.
After Trump walked to and entered one of the SUVs, the press was hurried into the passenger vans for the 12-mile ride northwest to the Fulton County jail. With the police escort and all the roadways blocked, it was an uncharacteristically quick ride through downtown Atlanta.
Along the sides of Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard, residents stood on the sidewalk and front porches with their phones out, videoing the unusual sight. At each side street, there was a law enforcement presence blocking any vehicle’s entrance onto the president’s travel route.
The route mapped out by the Secret Service and the entrance to the jail that Trump needed to use prevented the former president and his supporters from seeing each other.
On arrival at 7:34 p.m., the view of the jail’s sallyport was blocked by three prisoner buses. The press pool had to remain in the vans during the approximately 20 minutes Trump was in the facility for processing. Press members indicated that the processing was complete and that Trump was exiting the facility when the escort police re-mounted their motorcycles and turned on their blue lights.
The press vans merged in behind the black SUVs after they exited the sallyport for the ride back to the airport. With the processing being so brief, it appeared that most of the people assembled along the boulevard had remained there, most of whom were still smiling and waving.
On the way back to the airport, there was an indication that Trump would address the press pool, but it was unclear whether he would take questions.
Once the motorcade had pulled onto the tarmac and the press was set, Trump emerged from the passenger side of the SUV, walking behind it to approach pool members. Trump stood and delivered comments for about two minutes without taking questions.
Trump said he believes it was a very sad day for America and a “travesty of justice” and “election interference,” The Star News Network reported.
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Laura Baigert is a senior reporter at The Star News Network where she covers stories for The Tennessee Star and The Georgia Star News.
@joe: I ordered a T-shirt
I have ordered my Trump mug shot cup and cozies.