Republican Presidential Hopeful Donald Trump Draws Crowd in Birmingham
Donald Trump held his second campaign rally in Alabama on Saturday. It was well-attended and a bit of a rollercoaster ride. The Republican presidential front-runner shared his views on tracking Muslims, immigration, and at one point during his speech, threw out a protester in the crowd.
Trump, as he often does, went on several boastful tangents—like about how rich he is and his bang-up team of accountants and lawyers. But he won over the huge crowd at the BJCC on things like immigration. Trump pledged to build a wall to keep illegal immigrants out, adding “Who builds better than me?”
The audience interrupted with a chant: “Build that wall! Build that wall! Build that wall!” They also cheered when Trump said he wanted surveillance on certain mosques, and when he promised to send Syrian refugees back to Syria.
Gigi Douban,WBHM
A protester is escorted out of the rally.
A few minutes earlier, Trump’s speech was interrupted by shouts of “Trump is a racist” and “Black lives matter.” Trump kicked out one of the protesters.
“Yeah get him the hell out of here, will you?,” Trump said. “Get him out!”
A few audience members had shoved and tackled the man, who is African-American. As media cameras turned away from the stage and onto the scuffle, Trump took the opportunity to slam members of the media, calling them liars.
Howard Kennamer drove 125 miles from North Alabama to attend the rally and witnessed the incident. He said this was neither the time nor the place.
“You’re in Birmingham Alabama, which needs to live a lot of stuff down, you know what I mean?” he said.
Gigi Douban,WBHM
Vendors sold UA-themed Donald Trump shirts outside the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex.
No arrests were made. Meanwhile, outside the BJCC, vendors lined the streets selling Trump t-shirts, hats, and buttons.
There were crimson Trump shirts with a script “A” on them. It was game day, after all.
There were no Auburn-themed Trump shirts. Auburn, unlike Trump, one seller said, isn’t having so good of a year.
Gigi Douban,WBHM
Trump supporters await his arrival in the BJCC’s North Exhibition Hall.
The March Madness men’s bracket is out, and the SEC dominates with a record 14 teams
In an all-time record, 14 of the tournament's 68 teams all come from one conference — the SEC. The women's bracket will be unveiled at 8 p.m. Eastern time. Games tip off this coming week.
Pope Francis seen praying in first photo since his hospitalization a month ago
In the image published online by the Holy See Press Office, the pontiff was seated in a wheelchair and praying in the private chapel of Rome's Gemelli Hospital.
3 dead in Alabama after tornadoes pummel the South
The deaths came in Dallas and Talladega counties.
Hundreds of alleged gang members deported from U.S. despite court order
It was not immediately clear if the deportations happened before or after a federal judge in D.C. on Saturday issued an emergency order that told the administration to stop using wartime powers to deport anyone, and turn around any planes already in the air.
The missing children of Syria: Hidden in orphanages under Assad, where are they now?
Assad's forces detained mothers and children and sent many of the youth to orphanages. Syrians whose children vanished during the war are now seeking information on their fate. NPR investigates.
51 dead and more than 100 injured in nightclub fire in North Macedonia
A massive nightclub fire killed 51 people early Sunday in North Macedonia 's eastern town of Kocani, and injured more than 100. The blaze broke out during a concert by a local pop group.
