Hauling tents and coolers, Trump supporters line up days in advance for Tulsa rally

TULSA – Robin Stites wasn't the first person in line for President Donald Trump's rally, but she was proud that she secured the No. 2 spot.

Wednesday, the Sallisaw, Oklahoma woman and a few friends sat in portable chairs under a large blue umbrella that offered shade from the sun beaming outside the BOK Center in downtown Tulsa.

Stites, 58, captured her place in line on Monday and she said the wait until Saturday's rally will be worth it.

"I'd love to let him know we're here for him. We want to show our support," she said. "We feel like President Trump and his family have dedicated their lives to helping our country. Sacrificing a week of our lives is nothing for what Trump has done for us."

James Massery, 57, of Preston, Oklahoma said he was using his vacation days from work to make sure he gets into the rally.

"This is kind of a historical thing. This is the first rally since the shutdown and, two, how many times do you get to see the sitting president?" Massery said.

The friends were among several clusters of Trump supporters who took shelter under tents and umbrellas set up along a stretch of Denver Avenue, sandwiched between the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office and the nearby federal courthouse.

Stites said she had been driving back to Sallisaw each night after staking her spot. She said she has come back each morning because there are others in line who have kept her place for her as they watch over their own tents overnight. She said many of them get away to shower and change because they are all helping each other by rotating.

Broken Arrow, Oklahoma residents Preston Hanning, 25, and his friend Stephen Corley said they were part of a large group of family and friends who decided they didn't want to risk being turned away if the rally filled up quickly.

Hanning said his parents drove by early in the week and saw that a line had already formed so the family came up with a plan to join others outside the BOK Center. He pointed to the tents, coolers full of water and other items they packed for the wait.

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"I've always been a fan of Trump. The rally's in our back yard so I couldn't miss it," Hanning said. "We heard crazy numbers like a million people got tickets and we saw people already here, so we came."

Corley also expressed enthusiasm for the president.

"I've always had an appreciation for Trump. I'm 19 and this will be my first year to vote (in a presidential election), so I'm really excited about it," he said.

Hanning pointed out that the Trump campaign has said it plans to open several overflow venues if the rally at the BOK Center fills up.

"That just shows the support Trump has," he said.

The Broken Arrow duo and Stites and Massery said the little tent city of supporters have received all kinds of support from Tulsans – and even people from other places, including Indiana and Illinois.

"You wouldn't believe the people who stop and bring us stuff – water, donuts, Popsicles," Stites said.

She said a man stopped and gave them $25 for food and someone from Tennessee paid a local pizza eatery to deliver about eight pizzas to the group.

As if on cue, a woman who works in downtown Tulsa arrived to show her support.

"I just wanted to bring people water. I just appreciate the fact that you're supporting the president," Camie Hayes said.

Not everyone seemed happy with the presidential supporters.

At least twice in about 25 minutes on Wednesday, motorists yelled at the group, saying "Black Lives Matter!" and "Black power!"

Stites said there had been similar outbursts since Monday, but they were outweighed by the frequent honks and donations from supporters.

She said she was sickened by the death of George Floyd, like many people, and she was proud of President Trump for signing an executive order encouraging better police practices.

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Her comments referred to what has become a national flashpoint. Floyd, a black man, died on May 25 after Derek Chauvin, a white Minneapolis Police officer, kneeled on his neck for almost nine minutes, a series of events caught on video. In the aftermath, people around the country took to the streets to protest police brutality and racial injustice, with many demonstrations tied to the Black Lives Matter movement.

"I've had a couple of Black people come by and scream at us 'Black Lives Matter!' We said 'Yeah, they do,'" Stites said Wednesday. "Us Trump people, we love everybody. We're just not about the rioting and tearing up things."

The group said they feel safe because they are so close to the sheriff's office.

One woman, who didn't want to give her name, said her group would be taking turns on "night watch" to make sure no one comes to any harm.

Like Stites, she said most passersby have been friendly and one showed up to give them a large University of Kansas Jayhawks tent for shelter. He told the group he couldn't be there with them because he had to work but he wanted to show his support.

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Trump Tulsa rally: Supporters camp out to secure spots