Amidst a sea of Trump 2024 and Christian flags, a large crowd gathered at a rural Texas ranch, voicing their opposition to the president and the influx of people crossing into the U.S. from the Rio Grande.
Christians Unite
The “Take Our Border Back” rally in Quemado on Friday drew attendees who identified as Christians, advocating for law and order in a peaceful manner.
Colorful Protest
The vibrant scene of musical acts, vendors, political banners, and brightly colored attire at the rally stood in stark contrast to the imposing presence of razor wire, camouflage-clad personnel, and military-grade equipment located 20 miles south at the Eagle Pass border segment.
Rural Roadway Becomes Rally Point
By 8 p.m. local time on Friday, the group had converged onto a narrow, two-lane country road, forming an extensive line of mostly privately-owned or rented vehicles and RVs.
Christian Flag Leads the Way
The procession was led by a man on horseback, proudly waving a Christian flag – a white banner with a blue square and a red cross in the upper left corner – followed by three commercial trucks and several buses, all moving slowly through the sole open entrance to the venue.
Reality Check for Massive Convoy
The convoy, originally hyped as a massive assembly of 700,000 trucks departing from Virginia to converge at three border points, ultimately fell short of expectations.
Yet, the convoy saw an influx of participants throughout Texas, with people driving personal cars, RVs, and trucks towing campers.
A Hundred Vehicles or More?
Upon reaching the Texas border, the organizers claimed the convoy had grown to about 200 vehicles, a figure NBC News couldn’t independently confirm, though they did spot at least 100 vehicles.
Joining the Cause
Dorothy Richards, a 67-year-old retiree from New Braunfels, had participated in a segment of the convoy’s rally in Dripping Springs, near Austin, arriving before the convoy.
Event at Whiskey Distillery
The Dripping Springs event, organized by Take Our Border Back, was hosted at a whiskey distillery where, according to Richards, attendees were offered complimentary beer mugs.
Rallying Behind Governor
On Friday, she proudly waved a Texas flag, later switching it for a placard endorsing Texas Governor Greg Abbott in his immigration dispute with President Joe Biden, proclaiming, “Biden had his chance.”
A Road to Civil War?
Richards’ sign, emphatically stating “Governor Abbott & TX NG [National Guard] SECURE THE BORDER,” reflected her belief that the immigration issue might lead to civil conflict, a stance she considered unavoidable.
“What are we going to do? Should we stand back and let it [illegal immigration] happen?” Richards questioned.
Flags and MAGA Hats
The event bore a striking resemblance to a Trump rally, complete with flags, MAGA hats, and even a cardboard cutout of Trump. Some participants escalated their displays, including a hearse emblazoned with “Trump 2024” on the front door and a boldly written message on the back: “collecting Democrat votes one dead stiff at a time.”
Texas Woman’s Fight for Sovereignty
Alma Arredondo-Lynch, 67, from Concan, Texas, adorned herself with a rhinestone “Women For Trump” brooch and a wide-brimmed hat while strolling around the ranch.
“I believe that if we don’t have a border, we don’t have sovereignty. And if we don’t have sovereignty, we aren’t going to have civility,” she expressed.
Minor Clashes at Peaceful Rally
The rally remained mostly peaceful, except for minor confrontations with a few members of the group Street Preachers, who started their protest late Friday using a bullhorn.
They were quickly relocated across the street by the convoy and rally organizers due to their anti-LGBTQ and Islamophobic signage.
Diverse Views at Rally
The rally organizers, wanting to maintain a clear distinction, used their bullhorn to announce their disagreement with the protesters’ views.
However, not all attendees were keen to disassociate from the anti-immigration rhetoric echoed by figures like Abbott and Trump, which has been a source of concern.
Immigration Rhetoric
Speaking at a rally in New Hampshire, Trump made a broad assertion about global immigration to the United States, stating, “All over the world, they’re coming into our country. From Africa, from Asia, all over the world.”
Comparison to Nazi Germany
Trump’s contentious remark about immigrants “poisoning the blood of our country” sparked outrage and was likened to rhetoric used in Nazi Germany, while Abbott faced criticism for his remark about not shooting illegal border crossers to avoid murder charges from the Biden administration.
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