Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump visited Arkansans at Barton Coliseum in Little Rock on Feb. 3, 2016.
The rally resulted in a record-breaking crowd of 11,500 people, according to Barton Coliseum general manager Ralph Shoptaw.
The record was previously held by ZZ Top since 1974.
Protesters lined the streets holding signs and chanting their opinions against the candidate hours before his arrival.
Protester Lexy Fillman, 23, voiced her disapproval for the potential president.
“I’m protesting Trump based on his racism, sexism and xenophobia. To show people that it won’t be tolerated,” Fillman said. “It’s not a party versus party thing, it’s humanity versus inhumanity. This country would not be what it is without immigrants.”
Fillman said it was unfair to separate families and close the border to Muslims and refugees based on the actions of a few.
Trump’s appearance, after an almost two-hour delay due to an emergency landing in Nashville, resulted in the discussion of issues such as repealing Obamacare, destroying ISIS, job-stealing China, gun control, common core and building a wall.
“What are we going to do at the border, folks? Build a wall,” Trump said.
Supporters screamed “Mexico” when Trump asked who would pay for the wall that would prevent illegal immigrants from coming into the United States.
Many protesters inside the arena were hurried out by officials for being disruptive. One protester that was forced to leave the rally was 19-year-old Charlie Mellinger.
“I don’t like that he is so full of hate and thinks that people that aren’t from this country should be kicked out,” Mellinger said. “I don’t like that he contradicts himself and the inequality he’s trying to spread.”
Mellinger said that he would make the United States a more equal place. He held up peace signs while he was escorted from the building.
Trump supporters cheered when he said he would get rid of Obamacare, gun-free zones and common core education because they are “disasters.”
“Without education, you don’t have the American dream,” Trump said. “I want education to be local, with love. No more common core.”
Trump said that the Iran Deal is also a disaster and we have to take care of ISIS and be done with it.
Due to what has happened in the Middle East, he said, “We’re living in medieval times in terms of violence and horror.”
Annabelle McNeill, 17, a junior at Russellville High School said, “I want to see if he stands with what he says now about some of his policies like the immigration policy and anti-Islamic remarks.”
A Trump rally would not be complete without pointed remarks about his opponents. He commented on Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz’s win in the Iowa caucus and blamed Cruz for Obamacare since he supported the appointment of Justice John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Trump stated that politicians are “really, really dishonest” and “a bunch of dishonest cookies.”
Trump said he skipped the previous GOP debate because “they weren’t treating me properly.”
The next Republican debate will be Feb. 13 in South Carolina at 8 p.m. CT.
