Pro- and anti-Trump crowds endure DC storms ahead of July 4 event

A determined Fourth of July crowd in Washington, D.C., braved several hours of rain as they awaited President Trump’s Thursday “Salute to America” speech on the National Mall. 

Flocks of people in red, white and blue lined up along the sides of the Reflecting Pool donning rain ponchos, hats and umbrellas. Many declined to seek shelter as lightning flashed and thunder barreled.

{mosads}Two delays paused musical programs that featured a range of traditional patriotic songs. 

The president’s red “Make America Great Again” hats and other Trump paraphernalia were a common theme among crowdgoers, particularly among those who had staked spots facing the Lincoln Memorial hours beforehand.

Further away from memorial, anti-Trump protesters also made a showing, touting signs that read “Impeach Trump,” or “She’s not my type,” a reference to allegations of sexual assault against the president.

One of the most prominent anti-Trump features was a robot designed to look like Trump sitting on a toilet issuing tweets. 

The robot, speaking in what appeared to be a mock version of the president’s voice, said phrases like, “No collusion” and “fake news” followed by farting noises.

The robot was put on by the activist group Code Pink, which also planned to float a large Baby Trump blimp. But due to National Park Service rules, it was not allowed on the mall if it had helium in it, so Code Pink had filled it with air and stationed it on the ground. The onset of rain and thunder around 3:30 p.m. led the anti-Trump protest group to store the blimp. 

Many anti-Trump crowdgoers were seen carrying smaller replicas of the Baby Trump blimp, but many were forced to pop or leave them behind because of their helium filling at entrance stations scattered along Independence Avenue.