Tight security measures being taken ahead of Donald Trump rally in Nassau County

WABC logo
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Protesters criticize Trump for debate comments ahead of rally at Nassau Coliseum
Lucy Yang has more on the protest outside a Haitian restaurant in Uniondale.

NASSAU COUNTY, Long Island (WABC) -- Nassau County officials shared new details about the tight security measures being taken for Donald Trump's first rally since the second apparent assassination attempt on the former president.

The event is expected to begin at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Officials say local law enforcement is working with the federal agencies, including the Secret Service, to keep the former president, attendees and residents in the nearby communities safe.

They say that includes a small army of specialized units and first responders.

"Every inch of that property in that perimeter and the perimeter is as large as we need to make it, we will make sure that it is safe and it will be swept, we will have aviation over top during arrival and during the time of the event and we will also have our K-9 dogs out in the wooded areas," Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said.

Officials say the only entrance into the coliseum will be on Hempstead Turnpike and only people with a ticket will be allowed in the parking lot.

The area around the parking lot has been designated a no-fly zone.

As for how many people will actually get inside the coliseum, about 16,000 out of 60,000 tickets were reportedly issued online by the Trump campaign.

John Hubbard has two of them.

"A friend of mine went to one in Virginia, and the line was around the block hours prior," Hubbard said.

For those who can't get into the rally, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said there will be big screen TV's set up in the parking lot and on the plaza. He says there will also be food trucks and port-o-potties.

The county executive also explained that while Trump pays for the production inside, taxpayers foot the bill for an entire day's worth of security outside, and county Democrats were not happy.

"It's not a 2-3-hour debate, this is a full day of outside events," said Nassau County Legislative Minority Leader Delia DeRiggi-Whitton. "I can't even imagine what the total cost is going to be."

Blakeman said they don't put a price tag on "protecting presidential candidates, and foreign dignitaries, and the general public. That's something we budget for."

The following items are not allowed to be brought to the rally:

Drones, aerosols, alcohol, appliances, backpacks or roller bags, no bag larger than 12 x 14 x 5 and it must be clear, balloons, balls, poles, sticks, banners, signs, placards, chairs, coolers, e-cigarettes, firearms, glass, thermal containers, airhorns, whistles and bullhorns.

Doors open at 3 p.m., but parking lots open at 8 a.m.

The Long Island rally is poised to come roughly a week after the first presidential debate between Trump and Kamala Harris, and it was the former president's comments that sparked a demonstration on Tuesday.

Outside the Blue Mermaid, a Haitian restaurant in Uniondale, about two dozen protestors criticized Trump for comments he made during the debate, such as claims that Haitians eat domestic pets.

"This is so personal because we're being targeted, for what?" said Haitian immigrant Mimi Pierre-Johnson. "It reminds me of when you were a kid and being bullied."

"Right now, 20% of Long Islanders are born in another country," said Patrick Young of the New York Immigration Coalition. "25% of labor force are immigrants. We cannot have hate-filled politicians directing lies about the Haitian community."

----------

* More Long Island news

* Send us a news tip

* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts

* Follow us on YouTube

Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News

Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.