Yesterday, I attended a rally in the South Bronx at Crotona Park, where former President Donald Trump spoke to thousands of his supporters right in the heart of New York City.
As I drove through the Bronx towards the park, I saw thousands of enthusiastic locals lining the roads eager to see the former president, in a black and Latino neighborhood in NYC that historically voted Democrat and is the home district of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Support for Trump in the Bronx that day appeared to be on the rise, at the expense of the Democrat incumbent, President Joe Biden.
At least 8,000 to 10,000 attended the Thursday rally, which only had a permit for 3,500, law enforcement told the NY Post.
However, it appears that an equal amount of rallygoers were turned away due to space restrictions, but many of them remained outside the park in a rather festive mood.
Supporters of the former president vastly outnumbered the counter-protesters at the rally, many of whom did not appear to be locals, with some of the residents making it clear that they were unwelcome.
As Trump's motorcade drove up to the park opposite the main entrance, I saw a wave of cheering residents and attendees running down the street towards the motorcade, waving placards and shouting words of support.
After security started to restrict the number of attendees at 6 PM, hundreds of impatient locals attempted to surge through gaps in the security barriers or cut in the line to see the former president.
Some of these overeager spectators almost trampled this reporter, as he waited in line for the speech.
Trump spoke about his lifelong relationship and his love for his native town but did not really comment on his legal fight with New York prosecutors.
Enthusiasm for Biden appears to be weakening in this overwhelmingly minority community, which according to U.S. Census records, is the poorest ZIP Code in the nation.
Several local residents in this nominally blue stronghold told me that they were registered Democrats who were not fans of the president.
Many are blaming him for the lack of economic opportunities since 2021, as skyrocketing inflation and rising unemployment disproportionately affected lower-income and minority communities.
Violent crime in New York has also risen to the worst levels in many years, while Democrat policies on illegal migrants put a severe strain on the city's social services.
"It was a good rally. There were a lot of Hispanics and African Americans supporting Trump. I had a good experience attending my first rally and it was good to see many people supporting Donald Trump at this event, where we can see the demographic landscape of the community in the Bronx, especially in New York, change from Democrat to Republican," said Miguel Hernandez, a South Bronx native.
He added, "It is astonishing that it took the Democrat's bad policies, which they created, to turn many Democrats and Hispanics into Republicans, especially Puerto Ricans like myself."
Many of the disappointed attendees who were turned away said they were still encouraged by the unexpectedly massive turnout for Trump in the Democrat stronghold.
Hy Drusin, who attended the rally, said, "I was one of thousands who waited for hours and never got in. However, I was thrilled to be surrounded by rabidly pro-Trump racial minorities. If the GOP can get off its ass and get them to vote in November, Trump can win New York!"
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