# Can non-disruptive protesters go inside Trump rally with signs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142 "2017-02-18T12:26:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/1 "2017-02-18T12:26:01Z")
I’m surprised there hasn’t been a stronger coordinated movement to make his rallies look like failures. There have been rambunctious protesters in the past, but can people peacefully attend with anti-trump signs? ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/2 "2017-02-18T12:54:11Z")
If a rally is held as a private event then the organizers can set limits on behavior that could prevent attendees from carrying signs, shouting in a disruptive manner, or engaging in other forms of protest. If nothing else, holding up a sign may block the view of other attendees. Generally the rallies Trump held during his campaign and afterwards are private events, even if no admission was charged. The campaign had to contract with a venue, usually at considerable expense, and they are entitled to control the event every bit as much as any other show, circus, trade show, or other event would be able to control the venue. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/3 "2017-02-18T14:51:02Z")
**Non-disruptive protesters** at a trump rally would be an oxymoron I suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/4 "2017-02-18T15:28:53Z")
Anyone can attend a public rally. If you counter-protest at a Trump rally expect it to get violent (not saying Trump supporters are more violent than those who oppose him but rather you are creating volatile brew putting the two together). I suspect this is why most do not want to try. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2017, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/5 "2017-02-18T15:53:54Z")
If future rallies are anything like his past rallies, people with anti-Trump signs are not allowed into the venue. If you voice an anti-Trump statement inside the venue you’ll be escorted out. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/6 "2017-02-20T11:54:51Z")
Yes, in past rallies, you were lucky when your sign was only grabbed and ripped apart and you got away without a few punches to the face. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/7 "2017-02-20T12:00:37Z")
> [@KidCharlemagne](#): > > I’m surprised there hasn’t been a stronger coordinated movement to make his rallies look like failures. How are protested rallies failures ? You would do better concentrating on a rain-making machine. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/8 "2017-02-20T12:44:59Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > If future rallies are anything like his past rallies, people with anti-Trump signs are not allowed into the venue. If you voice an anti-Trump statement inside the venue you’ll be escorted out. At the latest rally, the invited attendees were supplied with signs, too. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/9 "2017-02-21T16:16:22Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Anyone can attend a public rally. Yes but during the election campaign, most Trump rallies were private. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-non-disruptive-protesters-go-inside-trump-rally-with-signs/780142/10 "2017-02-21T18:25:31Z")
There was an article about dissidents disrupting Republican town halls - to the point where they are cancelling them; one article mentioned that they scanned the lineup of people waiting to enter one and picked only some (the ones wearing red “MAGA” hats). As mentioned, if it’s a private rally on private property then who they allow in and what behavior they allow is entirely up to the organizers.