While protesters get ready to march down South Flagler Drive for the March to Mar-a-Lago, a group of President Donald Trump supporters gathered on Bingham Island to share their love of the president.
“I appreciate everything he has done for this country,” said Jennifer Eady, a German immigrant who said she has lived in the U.S. for 20 years. “I’m a small business owner and I’m just grateful that he’s here.”
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The group of about two dozen people stood along the north side of Southern Boulevard near the bridge closest to Mar-a-Lago, where in a few hours several hundred people are expected to arrive for the 60th annual Red Cross Ball.
Cars driving by honked their horns in support, with the occasional exception.
Tony Ganz and his wife Susan Ganz held signs and waved to passersby shortly before 4:30 p.m. The West Palm Beach couple came “just to show support for the president,” Tony Ganz said.
Their neighbor Gloria Poorvin also tagged along.
“I’m supporting Trump for several reasons,” Poorvin said. “We want to be positive. We don’t want to be negative.”
Just then, a driver in a blue Porsche drove by with the windows rolled down and gave an obscene gesture to the crowd. A man holding a Trump flag stepped towards the car and screamed, “Too bad, pal!”
Public Safety Director Kirk Blouin said he expected some pro-Trump protesters to turn out, but he didn’t know how many. He said they’d be allowed to stay along Southern Boulevard.
“As long as they don’t get in the roadway,” Blouin said. “It’s going to be a constant battle, just reminding people who keep wanting to move further in the roadway.”
In a few hours, anti-Trump protesters were expected to descend on the island.
“We’re not going to keep them off the island,” Blouin said. “They’re more than welcome to come over here.”
The pro-Trump group was gathered in an area filled with news crews from all over the world. Participants occasionally jabbed at and shamed the reporters who were taking live shots of Mar-a-Lago.
“Where’s CNN at? Come forward, CNN,” one woman repeatedly asked.
Brian McFarland, of Loxahatchee, yelled “FOX news, Trump!” while waving an American flag with 13 stars.
“People are just excited,” McFarland said, adding that he’s been to Bingham Island to support Trump in the past.
Stacy Wells, also of Loxahatchee, was wrapped in a yellow “Don’t Tread on Me” flag that belongs to McFarland.
“Says it all, don’t it?” McFarland said.
Wells said he was “just tired of everybody talking on TV, it’s ridiculous. [We’re] just trying to even up the score, I guess.”
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